


A Gentle Touch

by tibricel



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Demons, F/F, F/M, Lilim, Lilith - Freeform, Soul branding, Supernatural Elements, strong, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 08:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6696580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tibricel/pseuds/tibricel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bella had been so careful, every movement every action calculated but that all changed the day Edward Cullen saved her from an oncoming van, or at lest he attempted to save her. He quickly finds out that Bella is not all she appears to be and it might be him that needs saving. Edwards soon realizes that Bella is on a more even playing field then he could have ever imagined. Meanwhile in the forest a teen girl is cultivating her own gifts and growing in power,  but a red eyes have been watching her, wanting her, and will stop at nothing to get the to delectable scent of girl in the oval rimed glasses. Can the sleepy little town of Forks ever be the same again? Will Bella survive Edward? For that matter with Edward survive Bella, will Charlie ever get his peace and quite back and what is this power that's brewing in the forest? The lives of everyone will never be the same again and the sleepy little town might not survive whats coming when all hell brakes lose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hand Prints

**Author's Note:**

> A Gentle Touch is Fan created work of fiction using Twilight by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check out her work. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 1 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Hand Prints ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

It was another great day in Fork the wettest and today coldest, place in the continental United States. I arrived at school earlier hoping to avoid Edward but it was to no avail, he was already here with his siblings. We had gotten off on a bad start and there was part of me that just wanted to punch that scowl off his face.

As I got out of my truck I felt an unusual crunch under my feet and looked down to see ice. My eyes followed the ice under my feet to the tires of my truck and found that they had snow chains. My father's handy work no doubt.

I shut the door of my truck when the sound of screeching tires and crunching of ice caught my attention. It was getting louder; I turned just in time to see a large black van careening sideways at me. I was frozen like a deer in headlights.

I braced myself for the inevitable. The books and stationary that I had been holding were forgotten as they fell to the ground; the world was moving in slow motion. My arms extended toward the oncoming van, Edward and his siblings were looking on from across the parking lot.

I had just enough time to look back at the van and close my eyes, all the while bracing for the inevitable impact that was coming right at me. I chanced a glance at the van, it was almost on top of me. I was as ready as I could be for the impact. What I wasn't expecting was the impact from two directions. Something hard slammed into my right side then a second later I felt the cold metal of the van against my hands. My eyes were still closed so I was unsure what had hit me from the side, it was rock hard whatever it was.

Slowly, very slowly, I opened my eyes to see none other than Edward Cullen laying almost on top of me, his eyes wide as he looked at me. There were shouts all around us as time resumed its normal flow. My eyes were wide as I looked into the dark honey of Edward's eyes, the shuffling of people; the shouts to help the van's driver were forgotten.

Suddenly, the world was moving again and we were both starting at each other in surprise. Why was he surprised? I should be the surprised one here. Slowly, I looked to the same thing that was causing Edward's eyes to budge.

My right hand had created an almost identical deep hand print shaped dent to his. My small hand had caused just as much damage as his did to Tyler's van. His attention returned to me after a moment of puzzling out indentations, surprise still evident on his face. After all it wasn't every that a hundred and two pound girl stopped a two ton van.

"How…" He started but I cut him off.

"How did you get here so fast?" I asked quickly cutting him off, this seemed to do the trick of staving off the many unwanted questions that were to come. He was across the parking lot, there was no way he should have been able to get to me so fast and a better question he hated me, why be here at all.

"I was right beside you the whole time." Came his swift reply. He looked to my hand and was about to speak when I again cut him off.

"No you were over by your car, I saw you." I said holding his eyes never deviating. We hadn't even gotten to the fact that his hand like mine was not broken and had caused a dint in the metal panel of the van.

"I think you hit your head." He said all the while holding my icy gaze. "How did you manage to cause a hand print in the van? I think your hand might be broken you shouldn't move."

If the temperature could get colder from only a stare, there would be icicles forming on his brow.

Someone was shouting about moving the van back and realization dawned on both of us that we had two very distinguishable hand prints gracing the side of a van that _should_ have crushed us. I would have to puzzle the how and why later right now there was damage that needed to be corrected, namely two hand prints that would cause a lot of questions.

I reached under the van never leaving his gaze for a second as I pressed on the metal and the dent popped out erasing the evidence of my hand print. It would still be mangled metal, but at least now it was indistinguishable from a hand. Then I moved my hand just a few inches to the right and did the same to the dent caused by Edward. He drew his hand back from the force I exerted from the other side and his hand print was lost in the metal like mine.

"I'm sure my hand's fine. Doesn't feel broken." I was sure he was trying to bore a hole into me with his gaze but like always, he would never make any head way. "Now how did you cross the parking lot so fast or stop the van for that matter?"

"I already told you Bella, I was right beside you. I'm sure you just hit your head. I could ask you the same question about the van." He finished again.

The van finally started to move and EMT's were arriving as the on lookers and one of the teachers immediately told us to stay still and made room for the EMT to get to us. They took us both to the ambulance and swiftly dismissed Edward as he said he was fine. I was getting the same treatment up until he spoke again.

"I think Bella might have hit her head." He said with faux worry stretched across his face. I gritted my teeth until a smirk found its way to my face.

"But Edward what about your hand, you landed on it with all your weight and me? What if it's fractured or even broken?" I said innocently. We were back to glaring at each other in an instant the only difference was I had a smug smile. (glaring or smug smile, pick ONE)

"Okay, looks like both of you will need to go get some x-rays." One of the Emergency Medical Techs said. This was a turn of events I had not planned on and could possibly be bad. I had never had an x-ray and didn't know what it would show. My goading of Edward Cullen might have put me in a very bad place but if I was going down, he was too.

"Bella I'm really sorry, it was an accident." I rolled my eyes again, I got that Tyler was upset that he had _thought_ he almost killed me but please, one sorry is enough.

"I'm fine Tyler, drop it." I said as a nurse came over to me and asked about drawing blood, which I vehemently refused. I was fine, I knew that and the sooner I got out of here the better. Not to mention the smell of blood in here was making me nauseous.

Moments later, in walked a doctor that had a striking resemblance to Edward. It was uncanny, for a group of people that were all adopted and not related they all seem to share so many physical traits. They were all extremely attractive, all of them looked like they hadn't slept in years, and they all had the same honey golden eyes.

"Hello Isabella," Oh and did I mention, even when they spoke it sounded beautiful. What was with this family? "Your x-rays look good but Edward said you hit your head?" I cringed.

"Just Bella is fine, and Edward would be wrong." I said just as my father came around the corner, giving Tyler _the look._ Tyler had visibly shrunk back from dad as he passed.

"You and I are going to have a talk." He said threateningly as he pulled the curtain so that Tyler was now thankfully out of sight. "So how is she Doc? Is she going to make it?" He asked like he didn't know.

"Yes, I think Bella should be fine with a little rest. She may have a mild concussion, but I think it's nothing to worry about." Said Doctor Cullen, his voice was just as soothing as Edwards. "I would watch her for the next 24 hours, but I think she will be fine after a little rest."

"So I can leave?" I knew there was nothing wrong with me, and so did Dad. However there was one problem. Edward. He knew something was up. Had I just fell down everything might have been fine but I didn't. I had a hand print in the side of Tyler's van just like he had sure but how did he get to me so fast?

"Yes, there is some paper work I need your father to fill out then you can go Bella." I nodded, said my thanks, and told my dad that I would meet at the reception desk.

My father left to do paper work as I milled around in the hall. I turned the corner and saw Doctor Cullen speaking in a low, hushed voice to Edward. They both noticed me and I didn't say anything. They broke up at the same time, the doctor going one way while Edward made his way to me.

"So want to tell me how you got to me so fast?" He looked at me incredulously.

"If you tell me how you made a hand print in the side of the van. Oh, and managed to push it out again. Besides, I told you I was right beside you the whole time." Again with the story.

"No you were on the other side of the parking lot, and as far as the van is concerned it was an Adrenalin rush. You can google it." I said smugly. He huffed as if I had just pulled his feet out from under him.

"Whatever, no one will believe you." _Oh really? Bet my old man will._

"Well I hadn't planned on telling anyone." I said, turning to walk away. Before I could, a hand clamped on my shoulder and I reacted before I knew what I was doing. Time slowed down as it always did in situations like this. My hand shot up, grabbed the foreign hand and squeezed as I turned spinning the arm backwards. This turned the owner of said hand around and I push his arm up his back with my other hand going to his neck. Time had slowed down as I heard a tinkling noise, almost like glass cracking, I realized how hard I grip was on Edwards's hand. The sound had come from Edward and the reality of what I had done caught up to me. I let go of his hand and almost jumped back from him and he whirled around fast, very fast, _inhumanly_ fast. His eyes were on me as he cradled his now mangled limb with his other hand.

With the amount of force I put in that his hand should be a bloody pulp of flesh and crushed bone. Instead he looked like he was about to kill me, and he had every reason to do so, if he could. A luck would have it Doctor Cullen came around the corner at that moment. He took a quick look at the situation and apprised both of us. Then the surprise on his face was evident as he looked at Edward holding his cracked hand.

It took a minute to get that thought to settle in me. I had not destroyed Edward Cullen's hand but instead I had cracked it. There was spider web like cracks all through it and even running up his arm a little ways.

"Edward…" He said as he stepped in front of Edward, blocking my view of him. "Go, I'll take care of this." He said it so calmly, as if everything was going to be alright. Nothing was going to be alright. I had almost destroyed his son's hand and that was not something that didn't create a few questions. Doctor Cullen straightened, and a labored sigh escaped his lips as he slowly turned to look at me.

"May I assume that the reason you didn't want blood drawn is related to how you managed to man handle Edward?" He asked calmly as he could and in a low voice that didn't carry far.

"May I assume that we both have our secrets and want to keep them?" I asked hoping to keep this civil. Luckily for me Doctor Cullen seemed to want the same thing as I.

"You may." He said with only a slight nod, as his eyes never left mine. From down the hall I hear my father calling for me but my eyes stayed on Doctor Cullen.

"I should get going, don't want to keep my father waiting." I said. Our gazes were still locked as he nodded. I took that as my cue to leave, senses on high alert as I glanced over my shoulder every five seconds.

As I thumped down in the passenger seat of my father's squad car, I knew that this wasn't over.

* * *

Oh hi.

o/

I have a Pintrist setup with images I used for inspiration and reference if your interested.

_pinterest dot com/nashmeira/a-gentle-touch-reference-material_

_/OFCjlrn_

Nice to meet you, I have never written fan fiction on ffnet before or really at all so I thought I might give it a go. I saw Twilight a few months ago and have been tossing around this idea of Bella being more than what she seems. I cannot promise that the story will go just like the movie or books, I mean really if you're just adding an element to the story and doing the same story what fun is that.

As most of you know I started the story just as the van accident, I really just didn't not want to write too much to expose what was happening with Bella. I really thought about writing about how nervous she was and how she handled everything gently because she was afraid of breaking it.

I just wanted to jump right into the meat and potatoes.

So yeah wanted to get some feedback and see how it sits with people. I don't have beta and I have only quickly proof read it so be gentle with your reviews. No flames please only constructive criticism.

Any who thanks for reading. Hope to see you again soon.


	2. Secrets and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 2 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Secrets and Lies ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check out her work. :3

 

                I could only sigh as I rode with Charlie in his police cruiser. The silence was almost maddening, and I wanted to tell dad it would be okay, but in my mind I knew it wouldn’t be. Edward and Doctor Cullen knew I was different, but then again it was obvious that they were different too. We each had a secret we didn't want anyone to know so maybe if nothing else that would be enough for us both to keep our secrets.

                _Maybe Dad is just going to let today slide._

"So," He let the word hang for a moment. "Anything I should know about, or be prepared to hear about?"

_Or maybe not..._

I swallowed hard and thought just how to word this before speaking. My father was stoic and he, like Forks, was very down to earth; the word _change_ was not in his dictionary.

"Well as you know Edward was right beside me when the van hit and he tackled me to the ground. I stopped that van from crushing _us."_ I emphasized _us_ because my dad would only scoff that a van would crush me. Right on cue, he scoffed. "But it's ok. We have a compromise."

This caused my father to give me a curious look. One that asked even before he spoke the works that he didn't believe me.

"What kind of compromise could you have come to that would make him really keep his word?" He asked, and he had every right to be skeptical. Hell, _I_ was skeptical.

"He has a secret too."

"What kind of secret, Bells? If he says anything to anyone, even his family, and it got out..." My father gave a heavy sigh. "Well, it wouldn't be good. You know that."

"You’re going to have to trust me, he knows my secret and his is just as big. Besides, his father already knows too." The look my father gave me was not anger, it was disappointment. he just shook his head as we pulled in the driveway. Keeping his hands on the wheel as he looked straight ahead.

"And what is his secret?"

"It's my fault he knows about me and I about him. So it's my secret to keep." Dad just look on his face taking on a hardness, he was worried. when he turned to me.

"Well, I hope the faith you have in the Cullens is well founded."

(;´Д`)

Charlie stayed with me for a while to make sure I was okay. Mentally mind you because physically, I was as good as ever. He didn't hover and I liked that about him. We went about our day and I made lunch. The  meal was eaten in near silence with only the occasional banter about school and how I was liking it. Nothing about inhuman strength or crushing hands came up.

We ate silently for a while and watched TV. Afterwards while he watched TV, I was reading and the hours slipped by until about five that afternoon.

"I’m going to let Mitchell off tonight since he is working my shift. So I'll be really late tonight." Dad said breaking the tension. He stood and almost like a habit, I followed him to the door as he retrieved his police belt and gun from when we came home.

I just nodded. I really didn't know what to do. I hadn't meant for this to happen, but still it had and I was the one that the finger would get pointed at should it go wrong.  

From out of nowhere, my father put his arms around me and embraced me in a hug.

"I love you kiddo, and I'm with you no matter what. Try not to worry about it, we'll roll with the punches, right?" He said as he smiled at me and I returned the hug, remembering to be gentle. "See your getting better with that strength."

"Thanks dad."

"See you later Bells, don’t wait up."

(ノ^∇^)

When Edward Cullen first came into contact with Bella Swan he knew that he was in hell. That it was some sort of divine punishment. It had to be God punishing him for the creature he was, never in his life had wanted to give into the monster that he truly was.

But somehow he hadn’t. Weeks later and she was still alive, and the want, the _need_ for her blood had been over ridden in one moment of clarity. He had found something deep within himself that changed his view and instinct to want her in a deeper way.

Ever since being brought into this existence, he had never craved being around a human female like he was starting to with Bella Swan.

He was starting to look forward to their awkward time in Biology.

With the exception of the his rebellious years and hunting Edward had never given in to his instincts, but today was different. He and his siblings arrived at school only moments ago and were milling around his Volvo when he saw Bella  across the parking lot and for a fraction of asecond there eye’s met. In that fraction of a second he assessed the situation and instinct took over, it was not an instinct to kill Bella, rather it was to save her.

What she was able to do.

Thinking back on it now all the times in the past that she had acted extremely careful when touching things when interacting with others. How she seemed so clumsy and fell every all the time but was never really hurt.

Edward shook his head as he sat in his father’s office. The day’s events catching up to him and he let a sigh, his crushed hand cradled in his lap. A large crack ran down between his ring and middle finger. To add to the damage, there was a  myriad of spider web cracks running through his hand and wrist.

The door opened and in walked Carlisle, a calm look on his face but Edward had been around his father long enough to know when something was bothering him.

“How is your hand?” He asked reaching out to inspect Edwards hand. A swift intake of useless air entered Edward at the pain that shot through him when Carlisle looked at the fracture. “Here let me bandage your hand so you don’t lose anything, you’ll need hunt, and soon son.”

Edward only nodded as Carlisle went to work bandaging by cracked hand. The pain returned as Carlisle worked but it only took him a moment to finished bandaging his crushed appendage and took stock.

“You’re good, you need to get home and hunt; I’ll be home after my shift. We have to have a family meeting Edward. This is something we all need to discuss.” Carlisle gave Edward a hard look, he had seen it before.  

“I’ll see you tonight.” Was Edward’s reply as he left his father’s office. His mind now firmly on the future; the past events of the day were forgotten for now and he was not looking forward to the meeting.

 

(ˆ ڡ ˆ)

 

Dinner was simple. My mind was fluttering through all the day's events still. I was restless maybe a little nervous, from everything and eating leftovers just didn’t sit right with me, or eating in general at the moment.

By nine, I was in my room trying to read. I say trying because I had couldn't get my mind off of  Edward. The page in the book hadn't been turned in an hour as I lay in bed trying to puzzle out what he was. He was unnaturally strong, beautiful, and he looked like he has not slept in months. But then again all the Cullens looked that way and they all had similar eye colors regardless of none of them being blood related. There skin was tough, but obviously it could be broken. I had proved that.

"Ahhh!" It was so frustrating, I should have told Dad about the incident at hospital but what would we do then? I didn’t really want to contemplate disaster management on a fellow students and their parents. Even if they weren't human.

I huffed as my book clapped shut. I placed it on my night stand then turned out the lights. I had to let it go, I had a truce with the Cullen's. I at least I hoped they would let it go and meet me halfway.

Eventually she drifted off to sleep but even there the waking world's problems followed me.

( ´△｀)

After Edward had returned home, he swiftly went off to hunt bucks. Later, he returned home to face his family. His precognitive sister was the first to come to him, followed closely by Jasper. Her arms wrapping around his neck before he could even react.

"Oh Edward are you alright? What happened? You and Bella were talking in the hall then my vision just turned to white noise. The next thing I knew you were with Carlisle in his office with a mangled hand." She huffed appraising him. For what it was worth, Edward did find a sense of comfort that his family truly cared what happen to each other.

He only gave his usual crooked smile as he motioned for them to go inside.

"I'm fine Alice," He said holding up his freshly healed hand. "See, all better." Esme, his mother, was the next person to appraise him. She worried like any mother would about her children, and why shouldn't she, she loved them. After assuring her several times that he would tell them what had happened.

ల(｀°Δ°)

It wasn't long until Carlisle arrived home and everyone drifted to the large, unused, wooden dining table. Emmett and Rosalie had been absent when Edward arrived home and now it showed that Rosalie was not happy.

_'Not that she truly ever was.'_ Edward thought to himself.

Carlisle brought the family meeting to order then passed lead to Edward so he could recant the day's events after he had saved Bella Swan.

At Edward’s telling of how he and Bella had stopped the van, he received a myriad of looks and questions all he answered. Everyone seemed skeptical with the exception of Carlisle who had seen what Bella could do first hand.

Carlisle confirmed the story and what had happened and then everyone was quiet and lost in there own contemplations of what this meant for our family.

_'This is such bull, first you save the twit and now you're claiming she is as strong as us."_ Rosalie thought at me while scowling.

_'Strong enough to do us some damage,'_ Emmett. ' _I bet I could take her. Maybe a friendly arm wrestling competition.'_ Even though Emmett’s thoughts were of taking Bella on, it was all in good fun and he didn't mean anything pernicious by it. Edwards knew this and did not hold a grudge on his brother for it. Inwardly however, Edward would bet on Bella due to the force of her grip and how it took her less than a second to do him damage.

_'This is really upsetting Alice. I just want her to stop worrying._ ’ This time it was Jasper, always putting Alice first.

_'I just don’t understand why there is so much static around her.'_ My precognitive sister thought to herself. All the while a perplexing and irritated look marred her face.

Esme was more worried about the family and about Edward. While Carlisle's were curiosity, Bella, to him, represented an unknown and that was something that he enjoyed deciphering.

"So what are we going to do about her? She knows something is up and if she doesn’t keep her mouth shut, this ends badly for all of us. All because you just _had_ to save the human." Whether it was good or bad, Edward did admire Rose for one thing: she didn't hold back. It was not often that she did not speak her mind.

"Nothing. She won't tell anyone." Edward spoke.

"Oh? And how do you know? It’s not like you can hear her thoughts or did you forget!”

It was Carlisle that spoke next to try and calm the argument before it got more out of control. "She has her secrets and we have ours, I believe we came to an understanding." But as usual Rose was not done and would not let it slide, even on Carlisle's word.

"We can't know that! She saw you, Edward, and you can not read her mind! To make matters worse, Alice's visions are on the fritz when it comes to the human. So pardon me but neither of you can know for certain. I say that we need to think about what to do about it."

_'Like ending her before she opens her mouth and ends us.'_ Rose's words elicited a growl from Edward, the very thought of anyone hurting Bella was revolting to him and it ignited a fire deep in him. A feeling of possessiveness was crawling its way to the surface.

"You will not lay a hand on her, Rose." The words left Edward's lips through clenched teeth.

"She has a point however. If they are a threat and this gets out of hand it could fall back on all of us, we have to do what's best for the family." Jasper said as he placed a protective arm around his mate.

"I'm sorry; it's just like static around her most of the time." Alice finally spoke up. The worry and disappointment never leaving her as she spoke in quiet tones, but not quite enough that everyone could not hear them.

Carlisle tried to reason with Rosalie but his argument was falling on deaf ears. "I truly don't believe she meant any ill will toward Edward. I think it was on instinct when she attacked you Edward. Yes, it is unfortunate that she found out as much as she did, but we we are also on the receiving end of knowledge that she wanted to keep secret."

"We know nothing about her other than she just moved here and she is strong enough to hurt us. You," Rosalie pointed at Edward, "can’t read her mind, Alice can't see her, _and_ she knows about us. There is no argument here, there is nothing else to say. Irregardless of what she is she _knows_ about us! So we vote on it. I vote death. Emmett?"

_'This couldn't be happening.'_  Edward thought to himself.

"Yes," Emmett said apologetically as he shrugged. "I don't relish ending her but Rose has a point, she knows too much. Sorry Eddie"

"NO!" Edward almost roared. "You can't do this Rose!"

"No, I can't condone this." Came Carlisle Esme following suite. "Nor can I."

"Yes" Said Jasper looking up from a nervous Alice as she wrung her hands. Again, trying to focus on a vision that wouldn't come.  "I'm sorry, what she knows is a danger to us all, but also Alice. I can let that go."

"What about you Alice?" Rose asked, as Alice again focused harder on obtaining some future insight in the girl.

"I'll not let you hurt her Rose! I refuse to let you hurt her." Edward was grabbing the table so hard that it was starting to make an indentation.

"I just can't get it--- I'm sorry." Alice said exasperated.

"So that’s it four to three. Bella Swan has to be eliminated." Rose said as if her word was law. "Sorry Edward."

She may have said all the right words, and Rose may have given herself reason to justify killing Bella but Edward knew in that moment two things. He would do anything he had to to protect Bella, and Rose was not as sorry as she made out like she was.

(ノдヽ)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh snap! Rose wanting to get her kill on!  
> So what did you think, I like keeping Bella in first person, but I really don’t want to hear Edward’s inner thoughts. Truth be told, I always thought he was kind of a self loathing dip that just needed someone to punch the crap out of him. He just cries about life and woe is me. He needs more dark colors if he is going to do that and let's not even get in his over protectiveness to the point of controlling, or his stalker watching you sleep thing. -shivers- That’s not heartwarming, that’s creepy and abusive.
> 
> Anywho, it would be really great if I got some reviews. I like them, they make me smile and feel good. I need my ego stoked a little ;3
> 
> I really hope you're all enjoying this story. I wanted to do something with Twilight because I have another project in this world that I really want to get right but I felt I needed to sharpen my skills with something else first before I dig into it.


	3. Secrets Go Out The Window

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Myers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check out her work. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 3 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Secrets Go Out The Window ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

Edward was on the move.

_Faster, I have to go faster._

He was just barely running in front of Rosalie and Emmett. Both had taken it upon themselves after the voteto set right Edward's wrong and protect the family. He was angry that they would betray him like this, he had to make this right and stop his siblings from reaching Bella. It was just before midnight and the two had set out through the woods to Bella Swan's house. He had to make it before Rosalie and Emmett.

Bella's life depended on it.

So he was streaking through the woods, trees streaking by as leaves crunched under his feet. He had no idea how he was going to stop them, and if Emmett decided to join in he would really be in trouble. Jasper was just happy to let Rose get her own hands dirty when doing the deed was done. By killing Bella, the supposed threat to Alice was eliminated.

Edward arrived at the edge of the tree line, his eyes scanning the Swan residence. The only light was coming from the kitchen. He moved at a noticeably slower pace when he was closer to the house when he heard a light breathing, and a calm heart beating. The noises were quieter than most humans', but that didn't matter because she was still breathing, still alive. She was the only thing he could hear in the house and the noises were coming from the second story window that faced a large tree on the back of the property.

Just then Edward turned as he heard the sound of fast approaching feet, his brother and sister no doubt. Right on cue, Rose and Emmett stepped out of the tree line, their pale complexions seeming to glow, like his own, under the moonlight.

"Edward, get out of here." Rosalie growled, no longer keeping her anger in check.

' _Sorry bro, I tried to talk her out of it but it was a no-go. I had to make sure she was okay. Can't let anything happen to my Rosie, you know._ ' Emmett apologized mentally, following it up with a sorry smile.

' _Like that will make it all better.'_ Edward mentally said, but being the only one that could hear his own thoughts, he voiced them aloud. "Dammit Rose, I'm not letting you hurt her. If it comes down to it…" What? Would he really hurt on of his siblings, his _family_ , if they truly threatened to kill Bella? ' _His Bella'_ Some primal part of him corrected. _Yes,_ he wanted her. She was torture to him but as time went on, she was wearing him down just by existing, just by being around him. "I'll not hesitate to end either of you."

Rose, always quick with snappy comebacks, only snared. "I don't think you have the balls."

She took a step forward, then another, and then she was moving, but so was Edward. Her mind focusing on a song all the while Emmett's was reciting move by move actions of a UFC fight from some time ago. He had to give it to Emmett that was pretty smart because it helped to mask his own actions.

Emmett was attempting to grapple with Edward and not take a chunk out of him. All he wanted to do was just subdue him, all the while Edward was trying to hold Rose back.

Edward pushed and pulled but fighting against the two was wearing on him. It soon dawned on him that he could not fight both forever and hope to win. With that one thought he lost his edge and let Rose slip out of his grip. Edward's hand caught only a few strands of her hair as she broke from his grip. Edward was finally rendered useless by Emmett, his right arm being pinned to his back much like he was earlier that day by Bella.

Edward watched helpless and in horror as Rosalie turned and gave him a snide look before jumping up into the tree and flew towards the window. It was like the world started moving in slow motion. He struggled for freedom but there would be none until Emmett allowed it, and then it would be too late.

Rose lifted the window and she was inside.

Edward thought he had left humanity behind before, but at that moment, he could swear that his heart had stopped all over again. He stopped breathing.

The silence of the snow-covered night was destroyed as a scream rang out from the room and just as quickly, it was silenced.

.( ̵˃﹏˂̵ )

I woke suddenly and noticed that the room had a cool breeze blowing through it. The window was open, but I knew that I didn't leave it open. I didn't even remember opening it last night. The haze of sleep was wearing off and my brain began to process what was happening. Then I saw it. A figure was standing at the foot of my bed looking at me, and the breeze suddenly felt like ice water had been dumped on me. I did the first thing that my mind told me to do.

I screamed.

Quickly, faster than my mind could keep up the figure was gone and positioned right beside me and it's cold hand stretched out and covered my mouth silencing my scream of terror. My eyes focused on the figure as she leaned in and her face was bathed in moon light. The honey, yet slowly darkening eyes of Rosalie Hale were staring at me with such a fire that I had never seen before. I had seen people angry but this was beyond anger, she looked downright murderous.

' _Well, we better hope the faith you have in the Cullens' is well founded.'_ Dad's words came to mind in this moment and anger started to well up in me.

I had hoped that my subtle understanding with Carlisle about our different secrets would hold off the questions. I never expected someone to break into my room to confront me head on. The thought that someone would invade my personal space was infuriating and before I knew it, I was seeing red. My right hand shot out and was around Rosalie's neck in an instant, while my other hand quickly wrapped around the wrist of the hand that was covering my mouth.

Slowly, I pulled the hand free from my mouth. I moved her arm away slowly, feeling out just how strong Rosalie Hale was and, like her brother Edward, her eyes grew wide as her strength was slowly overcome by my own. Surprise was evident on her face, but that was quickly turning to fright as she realized I was stronger and try as she might, she could not get free.

I didn't know what I was going to do with this person and I was reacting on instinct. She had invaded my home and attacked me in my sleep. It was evident that keeping secrets wasn't good enough, they wanted me dead.

I was mad and starting to see red again. I wanted her to hurt, and I reacted on that by rolling to the left and pulling Rosalie Hale over top of me. I launched her toward the window as hard as I could.

Her body flew and hit the window, her eyes were wide as she crashed into the window shattering it completely, the wooden frame cracked under the force that Rosalie had hit it. She was surprised and tried to right herself as my feet hit the floor, my red haze still pushing me on to make the person that dared come into my home and harm me hurt. I gritted my teeth as I pushed off the floor, my mind focused solely on my enemy.

The boards buckled as I launched myself at the invader. she moved, turning to escape out the window. But I was fast enough to grab a handful of hair as my body crashed into her. The window frame giving way as we both went sailing out of the window.

The blonde screamed as we fell together toward earth as glass and wood debris rained down around us. I was to intent on making this girl pay for coming into my home to notice anything other then focus of my rage.

We slammed into ground and Rosalie's face took the brunt of the fall as we both hit the ground. My head came forward slamming into the back of her head dazing me, as hard as she was I would swear she was made of rock.

Rose had the leverage and her reaction time was faster. She threw me backwards towards the house a good ten feet. The cold of the snow bit into me, but it wasn't enough to lessen the rage I was feeling. All that mattered was me getting my hands around the blonde's neck and squeezing until I watched the life drain out of her.

I clamored up from my position on the ground after being thrown, and regained my balance to face the enraged beauty.

Rosalie was up now, eyes wide as she snarled and bared her perfect teeth. This just had the effect of riling me up even more. I wanted to beat her up, no, I wanted to tear her limb from limb. We both leapt at the same time and I could hear other voices screaming at the two of us but they were muddled. Right now nothing mattered other than breaking that perfect face into a million bloody pieces .

( ◣д◢)

In his one hundred and some odd years, Edward had seen many great things. Two world wars, men landing on the moon. Never in his life had he expected to see his sister being forced through a window, much less the one propelling her being the girl that he was beginning to understand he had feelings for.

The look of burning rage on Bella's face was clear, she was murderous. It was the same look he had received for that briefest of moments earlier at the hospital. But as Rose fell with Bella on her back, he could tell that the anger wasn't going away as fast this time.

The two hit the ground with a thud, and Bella's head slammed into Rose's head. To Edward, it was like he was watching human-like domino's.

The situation was like a train wreck, he wanted to look away, but he couldn't.

The surprises didn't stop there. Rosalie threw Bella off of her as she stood and turned to face the human, something about using the work human to Edward did sit right with what he was seeing. Both females were starting down each other. It was obvious to him that Rose was the faster of the two by a large margin, but Bella seemed to be holding her own with her super hero strength.

The two swapped blows as they jumped at each other, a sickening smack sounded around them.

Bella was starting to stand up after she had been thrown to the ground. Edward watched as Bella screamed and threw herself at the blonde the force she was able to use was amazing and the two skidded on the ground. He was horrified as he saw Bella finally wrapped her hands around Rose's neck and everyone heared the telltale sound of skin cracking.

Edward had been so enraptured with the fight he missed Emmett letting lose his grip and just as quickly his mind refocused on the world around himself, as Emmett ran to the aid of his mate.

Edward was right on his heels but Emmett had a head start and reached the two prone girls first. Emmett was moving faster than Edward had seen his body builder brother move in a while. Emmett wrenched Bella from Rose, but not without difficulty, Edward noted.

However Emmett's worry for his mate had removed any hesitation he might have had to hold back his strength. So it wasn't a surprise when Bella was thrown away from Roselie with as much force as Emmett was to able.

(ノಠ ∩ಠ)ノ彡( o°o)

Charlie Swan liked Forks. It was his home; it was a small quite town that had just the kind of charm that attracted him. Namely it was a sleepy calm little town, something that Charlie really liked. Not that Charlie didn't mind a little excitement, but a missing hiker or the occasional speeding ticket was enough for him.

So when Charlie Swan was just about to pull into his driveway he was very surprised as a mahogany haired blur landed in front of his cruiser, only to be hit and thrown forward by said cruiser.

It took Charlie all of two seconds after the car stopped to put it in park and realizing that he was looking at the crumpled form of his daughter. She was starting to move from the pile she was in several yards in front of the car from where the force had knocked her.

The cruiser door was opened and he was out the next second. His eyes landed on the equally stunned sight of three of the Cullens children. The bigger of the three was holding the blonde one to his chest as she looked like she might be crying.

The sinking feeling was bad enough when he looked to see Bella starting to stand, her breathing was hard, and in an instant he was worried that she was mad.

"Damn it." he cursed under his breath.

He moved to Bella as she stood, and was starting to look around. _No doubt for the focus of that anger._ He thought mootly. _Well I was a teen once too._

Charlie moved to his daughter's side as he pulled a small pouch from his back pocket.

"Bella Marie!" He shouted to the girl and it had the desired effect she whirled on him. However before she could react, Charlie's hand flew forward and a fine powder flew from the pouch and into Bella's face. An almost dreamy look overcame her face as she started to fall to the ground, but never made it as Charlie had stepped in caught her.

"What did you do to her? Don't hurt her!" Charlie looked up to see Edward walking toward him, his eyes boring into the chief of police. In retaliation, Charlie fixed Edward with a look that stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't!" Charlie said for further effect.

He looked his child over and he could tell she had been roughed up, and she had actually taken a few good hits. While she would heal fine, it was obvious that whoever she had been going at was strong enough to bruise her. She would have a nice black eye for a day or two but he didn't think it was enough to really harm her. Other than the headache from getting the Verbascum powder to the face.

Charlie looked from the now unconscious face of his daughter to the three Cullens that were no doubt looking flabbergasted with what was going on.

"You three, you stay right there, _don't_ _move_. If you leave before I get back and I have to come to your house tonight, you will not like what comes next." His tone was that of authority, one that was cultivated from years of being an officer. It left no room question and the three Cullens wisely did as they were told.

Bella was deposited in the house in the recliner and Charlie returned from the house and moved his banged up car. The front was dented severely and would take a long time to fix.

 _Maybe I can pass it off as hitting a deer._ He thought as he sighed involuntarily and moved to check the inside of the cruiser. The damage to the car had only succeeded to make Charlie more mad than he was before about Bella getting hurt.

"You three, get in the house. Now!" Charlie said as he slammed the door of the cruiser, giving the damage to the front of the car a quick glance.

"Go in and sit on the couch!" He said as he studied the faces of the three, he could tell the girl was the one that Bella had been fighting with, she was covered in dirt and grime. Also, if his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, he would dare say that the girl looked to have cracks on her neck.

He took another deep sigh.

Charlie stepped in after the three teenagers, pulled his cell phone from his pocket, and began thumbing through his contacts for a certain doctor's phone number. He, thankfully, had gotten it a few weeks ago after they found a hiker that had broken his leg in the woods.

The look on the copper headed boy perked up as he dialed.

"Yes, is Doctor Cullen there?" Charlie watched the as the copper headed young man looked over at his now rousing daughter. "Hello Doc," he paused. "No, I'm fine and so is Bella, however I think you should come over here and let's have a talk. I have three of your kids here and we all need to have a talk. Seems my daughter's faith in you lot was misplaced."

Charlie's expression hardened as the looked at the children, and he knew that look. Thought he had not been in Bella's life as much as her mother. he could still pull off the menacing parent look; a look that made any child know they had done something wrong and are going to be punished for it.

* * *

Sorry for the delay, work has been a nightmare as I had a lot to do before finishing up for the holiday. So a few tidbits are added here and more and more mysteries. :3 I know the most prominent is, what is Bella? And now I guess you're asking yourself: What is Charlie? Are they the same?

I hope you're enjoying the story. I really did not intend to keep Bella like she was in the book. I really wanted to take a different direction to the story and well this is it.

Q&A...

jansails: To be fair, Alice never really voted she was just really upset about not being able to see things and she felt like she was losing her visions, something that she relies on far too much in my opinion. I did go back into Ch.2 and add a little more in hopes of fleshing out Alice's feelings about what's happening with her and why she didn't vote/had her vote misinterpreted.

qhrciskrpc: I hope I came off as making her come off as a little, not to say I'm going to kill her just that she is not as fast as a vampire or as graceful. Example: a Vampire can stop on a dime, (Even with the force it would take to move that fast, never figured that out but meh.) Bella, however, could not do this and would more than likely slide and make a nice dirt skid as she would stop from the force of her movement. I'll work harder on making this come across and let it be know.

alculard: Thanks, Rose is a bitch and she works really hard to live vicariously through Bella. No one ever told her that it was polite to let others live their life the way it make sense to them I guess.

Thanks to every reader and reviewer alike. But I could always use some more reviews.

Go on strike my ego. ;3 Later all, and happy holidays.

 


	4. Webs and Cars

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check out her work. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 4 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Webs and Cars ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

"Yes, of course. I will be there shortly, Chief Swan." Carlisle released a long sigh when he hung up the phone.

Esme had been standing right beside him and wringing her hands with worry, like any good mother would for her wayward children.

"Did I hear right? Chief Swan has the children?" Carlisle only nodded. He pulled his wife into an embrace, the situation was getting out of hand and now the situation was becoming dire. From over his wife's shoulder Carlisle looked to the white couch where Jasper was still setting vigilant over a worried Alice. She was yet again trying to get a good vision of their future.

"Yes. I'm not completely sure of what happened but it seems that Chief Swan has the children in _custody_." He saw Jasper's jaw tighten with that implication, if they were in police custody then that would lead to a lot of uncomfortable and potentially damning questions, particularly if he had caught them in the act. But Carlisle didn't seem to think that was the case and was no doubt hoping for a peaceful solution.

The four sat in silence and were in deep thought. Carlisle wasn't seeing any good out come from the scenarios that were running through his mind.

"I GOT IT!" Carlisle, Esme and Jasper all jumped, startled by Alice's outburst.

Everyone looked to the psychic as she beamed with delight.

(;¬_¬)

As a rule, Edward never wanted to do anything non-human around humans. Doing otherwise was the fastest way to draw the wrath of the Volturi. So when they had been caught by Chief Swan, after he had hit Bella with his patrol car, he and his siblings quickly learned what a deer felt like when it was caught in headlights.

They could have ran, and if Bella was any indication, they would have outrun Chief Swan easily. Although Edward wasn't sure if he was like his daughter, he was obviously in the know about his daughter's unnatural behavior.

So it was there he found himself on the couch in the Swan home, to his left was the object of his budding affection, Bella, who was slowly rousing from her drug induced sleep. He wondered what that was that her father had used to knock her out; whatever it was, it was strong. It had an almost sickly sweetness to it.

'This was not how I…. ing to end.' Charlie's thoughts had always been difficult to hear. Before, Edward had only heard his muddled thoughts in passing so until this moment, he had never had a reason to care about what the Fork's Police Chief was thinking.

Carlisle would be on his way soon, no doubt under the assumption that Rose, Emmett, and now himself were in trouble for a _tame_ crime. He was definitely not thinking along the lines of breaking and entering, or attempted murder.

 _'Now let's see what the hell was …. home to this.'_ Charlie sighed.

 _'So how are we going to explain this, Eddie?'_ Emmett thought to me. Rosalie was thankfully quiet other than the occasional low, annoying whine.

"Just play along for now."I said as quietly so as not to alert Chief Swan.

To my left, Bella was starting to rouse and grumble as she held a hand to her head.

"Chief Swan, I think there is a good explanation for what's happened tonight." Edward quickly found his words were not going to help, and throwing on the charm here would do him no good. The look on Charlie's told him all he needed to know.

' _This should…ood let see… his lie is.'_ Came Charlie's thought as he pocketed his phone and looked Edward in the eyes.

"Your father will be here any minute now and he and I will be having a talk about y'all's behavior. Till then, the four of you are sitting right here." Rose, Emmett, and Edward wisely stayed put. Bella moaned as she started to wake.

Edward watched as Bella looked around the room, taking in each face in seriously but when she caught sight met Rosalie she froze. Bella had a very sobering moment as the night's events caught up to her.

"You!" She didn't get very far with that as Charlie steeped in holding the small pouch of Verbascum in front of Bella who cringed and instantly started to doze off again.

"Oh no, I'll not have any roughhousing tonight. That's all we need is another hole in a wall." Bella winced, and so did Rose.

Charlie's eyes narrowed. "What did you four do?" It was easy to see that Charlie was livid as he turned his piercing gaze on each of us.

"It was only me and Rosalie," Bella shook her hand. "I didn't even notice Edward and... umm Emmett right?" Bella said. "How is the car?"

Charlie shook his head. "I'll have to file a report, the radiator is cracked I think. Maybe I can pass it off as a deer ran out in front of me. Pretty sure that hitting your daughter at thirty-five mile per hour is going to throw up some red flags. "

Emmett spoke up for the first time. "Wait, you mean the two of you are more worried about the car than the fact that your daughter was hit by said car? This is getting Twilight Zone weird." He chuckled as Rose forcefully nudged him to make her displeasure known.

"Want me to be more curious about the… well, cracks on your sister's neck?" Charlie asked. Edward was sure that Bella got her curiosity from him now.

"Uhhhh…."

"That's what I thought."

Charlie seemed to think for a minute then taking a few steps toward the stairs but stopped and looked back at the teens. "The four of you keep your butts planted right where they are until I get back. Oh, and here," Charlie said from the third step, pitching a pouch of Verbascum to Edward. He fixed each of the three Cullens with a stern look, "if she acts up, still mad just wave that in her face it'll calm her down." Then headed up the stairs.

(」゜ロ゜)」

I have never drank alcohol, but after getting hit in the face by powdered Verbascum, I think I know what a hangover feels like.

After blinking a few times, all six people in the room turned into three people. The OS that was my brain finally finish booting and I realized the three faces in front of me were the Cullens. Closest to me was Edward, followed by his larger brother Emmett, and…

"You!" I saw red again; there has to be something about this town.

I was up in an instant. Edward was up in an _half_ an instant and a sickeningly sweet and musty smell assaulted my nose and Edward was holding something too my face. The room spinning for a moment and I had to sit back down in the chair or I was going to fall out in the floor. Edward stood over me with a small pouch held out as he sat down beside me.

I pushed his hand away as he held it toward me like it was it was an offering.

"Get that away from me I'm fine now." I hated that crap, made me feel like a week-old puppy.

"What kind of freak are you?" That was Rosalie, I would know that smug voice anywhere and I had mostly just heard her screaming and growling. I grinned and then chuckled at my own joke.

"What kind of freaks are all of you?" I said, suddenly nervous. "You're not human that's for sure. Figured that one out when Edward's hand didn't pop off like a Pringles top." I leveled my gaze at the trio.

None of them spoke.

Edward for his part looked like a puppy that had just gotten scolded. I glowered at the other two, mostly Rosalie. She leaned back on the couch to avoid me, but I caught the look on her face. She was a pro at being a bitch but the look I gave her caused her to flinch. Her only defence hiding behind her brick wall of a boyfriend.

_That's right hide behind your boy toy._

"Plus, you break into my father's house and you're still acting stuck up." Emmett started whispering to his girlfriend and comforting her while he shot me a dirty look. I'm not vindictive usually. I have had to deal with other kids growing up, but breaking into my room is crossing the line. I decided to twist the knife a little more. I grinned. "I might suggest turtlenecks for a while, Blondie."

A growl came from the other side of the brick wall of a boyfriend and Rosalie was up in an instant. I reflected her stance immediately and was quickly followed by Edward who just about appeared out of nowhere. He was in turn staring down Emmett as Rosalie locked eyes with me.

"What part of keeping your asses planted on that couch did you not understand?" The fight in me was gone as my father walked in and I was slumped down in my chair; I think faster than Edward, Rosalie, _and_ Emmett. Which I was finding out was pretty quick so that was an accomplishment on it's own. They were fast for people that seemed to be made of rock.

My dad was coming down the stairs when he spoke. I knew the look on his face: he was not happy. The memory of blondie and myself crashing through the side of the house came to mind. I gently bit my inner lip.

They knew I wasn't human, we knew they weren't human.

This whole ordeal was spinning out of control and my father knew it. He stood in front of us with that fatherly stare; it was accusing, and rightly so. I thought I felt a little more of his anger when it should have been directed at Rosalie.

"What the hell were you four thinking?" He walked circles in the living room as he addressed us. He ran a hand through his hair as he turned to me. "I know that you know better."

"They broke in our house, I was asleep then the blonde over there decided that she wanted to get a piece of me. I reacted." This was _not_ my fault.

"You reacted all right, your bed is broke in half and there is a hole in the floor. But the hole in the floor is a small thing compared to the gaping hole in the side of the house." Edward winced as Charlie explained the destruction from the fight. "You three, hell, I guess your whole family for that matter, aren't really normal. I get that, I didn't care, still kind of don't but you know what I do care about?"

Charlie knew how to make a point. He was starting to make me feel like a little kid again; like the time I got upset and flipped the table in the kitchen.

"Peace and quiet. You just move here a few years ago but I have lived here for… a while." He took a moment to let his anger simmer so it was more manageable.

"I like Forks, and I would really like if it could stay the sleepy little town that I am used to. That means we all get along. If that means we have to have a sit down and talk then that's what we'll do. It's safe to say you don't want to be arrested for breaking and entering or assault, do you Miss Cullen?" I could see blonde hair on the other side of the brick wall, shaking back and forth.

"Good, so when your father gets here, he and I are going to have a little talk." To my laidback father it was over. No blame, everyone was alive so to him it was over.

"So now that we have an understanding, how much can she lift?" It was the first time Emmett had really spoke, well to anyone other than Rosalie that is. "What are you guys? I mean, it was pretty impressive that she could do that much damage to my Rose." This comment earned him a hand to the back of the head, a laugh from me, and a grin from my father.

"I think we'll save that for a later talk. I still need to talk with your father." Lights shined brightly through the street-view window and it sounded like a car just drove into the driveway. "Speaking of which…."

¯\\_(⌣̯̀⌣́)_/¯

Esme was worried and understandably so. Three of her children were being _held_ by the Chief of police. They had had close calls before in the past, that was just the folly of their species, they were denying the very bases of there being to be something they are not. To hold on to a small part of what they lost. To each of them it was worth it.

But sometimes, there were flaws in the production of their human life. Sometimes someone got too close, as not every human was blissfully ignorant of what was going on around them. Bella Swan however was not so ignorant, nor was she human so the usual outcome did not apply to her anyway.

Neither her husband nor Esme had spoken since they had left the house after Alice's confession that everything would be okay. _Better_ than okay if things continued on the way that it was in her vision.

Her vision had gone a long way in easing their concerns and Esme relaxed a bit just thinking about it. The whole situation was still not sitting right with her. Esme felt as though she should have stopped the whole thing before it started, but the family had always been democratic and the vote had somewhat been in favor of _solving_ the problem that is Isabella Swan.

The two nervous parents pulled into the driveway of the Swan home and both sighed; they were going into the unknown here. The two met in front of the black SUV and Esme looked over to her husband then passed him on the way to the front door, her face twisted as she took in the sight of the police cruiser. It looked to her like the cruiser has struck something as it was dented in but not as though it was a tree, that was would have been a more precise and vertical indentation. By now, her husband was looking along with her when the door opened and closed and both parents turned to see the police chief of Forks, Charlie Swan, had walked out.

She could tell Charlie was tired as he racked his hand through his hair and greeted them. He turned to walk around the house while beckoning them with his hand to follow him.

"Chief, where are the children? Are they okay?" Esme had to know. She could hear one loud heart beat in the house and one from Charlie, but no one was talking at the moment and she was getting worried.

Charlie shook his head. "Yeah, they'll be fine." The three parents came around the side of the house and were all looking upon the yard that was littered with pits of wood and glass. "That girl of yours sure can take a punch. Though I'm pretty sure Bella will have a black eye for a day or so."

The window Esme saw on the second floor had almost been blown out from the bottom to the top. The top of the window frame was still there but the bottom part was lying outside with them.

"Thank goodness." Esme was relieved that nobody had gotten seriously hurt.

"I think your daughter might need to wear a turtleneck for a while." That was vague and random statement. "Look, the fact of the matter is that I don't know what she is, and I'm guessing your family is all the same. That's fine, I really don't care. Up until now I have had no problem with your kids and that's not something I can say about a lot of kids their age."

"What happened here?" This was far more damage than she had thought Rosalie would have caused.

"Well as I was driving home, I was just about to pull into the driveway when out of nowhere a girl with mahogany hair came flying in front of my cruiser. I hit my daughter at about thirty-five miles per hour." He said as he made a fist and gently tapped the side of the tree that faced away from the house.

Esme was stunned, he had hit his daughter with his car but he was just going on with his day like it was nothing. Like the poor girl had just stumped her toe on a coffee table. Her husband was spoke up, his doctor instinct kicking in fast.

"Charlie! Chief Swan," Carlisle corrected. "should I maybe take a look and make _sure_ she is ok?" Emphasizing his doctor status but the police Chief just waved him off. "She's fine, your girl however had a kind spider web looking cracks on her neck though." The Chief replied back.

Esme's hands went to her mouth as she gasped, Rose was physically harmed, Bella was hit by a car, and here was a father that just seemed to be shrugging everything off. Not to mention he had to know that they were not human due the damage her lovely daughter had suffered. She realized that both they and Bella were on equal ground.

"I would still like to see the children, just to make sure." Carlisle said frustratedly.

"I have to agree with my husband." Esme said, echoing her husband's concern. Charlie just looked at the couple with a hard stare, and the carefree attitude was gone from the chief of police. To Esme, it was startling how cold the man had become so suddenly.

"The children are _fine._ " He said fixing each of the two adults in turn. "The pressing issue we, as in the three of us, need to decide is if your family and mine can coexist here. You're not human," Esme felt a chill run up her spine. "I get that; it's fine, I don't really care. The question is, are we going to have a problem here? I know that Bella shares just as much of the blame for this all getting out of hand, but breaking into my house is where I draw the line."

"Chief Swan, I'm really sorry for everything." Esme said.

"Call me Charlie as I think we all know I'm not playing the part of the chief of police right now." Charlie said eyeing both parents.

"Yes, Charlie. I'm sure we can come to an understanding so that something doesn't happen again. Maybe we can all have a sit down talk and sort out an understanding. Now can we please tend to the children?" The last statement was at the forefront of her mind, particularly after Charlie had mentioned the spider web cracks on Rosalie's neck. Charlie nodded to the couple then he put both hands on the tree and pushed.

Esme watched as Charlie Swan stood about two feet from the tree and then leaned into it and pushed, forcing the large oak tree up and forward. The tree was slowly uprooted and pushed toward the house until the large branch that had been reaching for the window was inside the large hole to make it seem like it was the tree that made the hole.

She chanced a glance at her husband and he wore the same expression of surprise when Charlie stood back and dusted his hands off. It seemed that Bella was not such an anomaly and her father was at _least_ as strong his daughter.

"Yeah, that is a good idea but I'm sure the kids are fine. Let me make one last thing clear before we head in though. Bella is young, inexperienced, and untrained but I am not and I know how to handle myself like an adult; so if anyone tries to hurt my little girl again, we won't be talking about our problems. At that point your little girl with have more than a few cracks on her neck." A chill had crawled up Esme's spine at the venom in his words and she could oddly sympathize with the man. He was a parent that wanted to protect his daughter, but that didn't mean that she was going to let him hurt _her_ daughter. "Okay, now let's check on the kids." He said as if he hadn't just threatened anyone.

Charlie looked back up a the tree now forced through the hole. "Does that look like it could have been caused by straight line winds?" He asked.

"Close enough." Both Esme and Carlisle answer at the same time.

* * *

 

Author Notes:

Oh hi o/

Thanks to all my reviews, readers and everyone that supports me with this fun little project.

So the story will continue and we will see what happens to Bella and Charlie. Oh, and what did you think of the reveal of Charlie? I don't want him or Bella to come off as a Mary Sue but I want it clear there is something just as supernatural about them as there is with the Cullens.

I always felt there was a great disservice with not exploring other supernatural things in Twilight. I think someday Stephanie will return to the Twilight world, probably when she is pressured, and expand on the world. Much like J.K. Rowling returning to the HP universe after her other stories didn't pan out.

Especially the comment where Bella says that "If Angela turns out to be a witch she can join in too." That just seemed like a great setup and foreshadowing, such a wasted chance.

Chapter notes:

I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I had to re-write several parts of it as I'm trying to feel out the perspective of some other characters. It helps that you the reader already has a pre-constructed idea about the characters. That means there are some things that I can leave out and your mind fills it in on its own. :3

There were parts of this chapter I am not quite happy about and I'm not sure if I made them better or worse. I just wanted to move on from this chapter and failed a little bit.

Also not so sure that I'm varying up my words and writing structures enough. I think I'm okay when there is only two characters and then maybe a third that I don't really have to deal with much in a scene but add many more and I kind of feel like I lose some of them. They're just there in the background. Emmett would be a good example in this chapter. I tried to give him something but no matter what I did I felt like I failed him.

Oh well, perhaps later.

Just to let you all know I do not intend to go through every part of the Twilight series. I think I will deviate from some things: keep what I want and skip/discard what I don't.

Again the premise for this story was simple: Bella is really strong and not quite human. She is not as weak willed as the original, she has a bit of a backbone and is not emotionally dependent on Edward's every whim.

Thanks to all my reviews, readers and everyone that supports me with this fun little project.


	5. The Couch and The Daana

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check out her work. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 5 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ The Couch and The Daana ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

Dad had just walked out the door and we were all alone again. The brick wall that was Emmett Cullen was still consoling Rosalie and Edward kept glancing over at me. He almost looked like he wasn't breathing, the motions of his chest were so few and far between, and it was very audible when he _did_ breath like it was taking him great effort.

Every glance at me was getting longer and longer until he might as well have just openly stared at me. His eyes bore into me and he seemed to be chewing his bottom lip.

 _Was he..._ no _._

I fixed him with a very critical look before speaking, this was something that I was now realizing that I had gotten from my dad, I like to call it _the look._

"Would you like to take a picture, it'll last longer?" Surprise crossed his perfect face before he turned away. Edward muttered an apology and leaned back on the couch.

"So," Emmett spoke up again. "Bells, think you might want to wrestle some time? Eddie here is no fun because he can read my mind and you look like you might be fun." Rosalie huffed and Emmett wrapped an arm around her, smiling.

At hearing his request Edward's eyes snapped over to look at Emmett and I swear he growled at him.

Growling is not a normal trait for a human. Not that their speed or strength is, but I am just saying that they are _definitely_ not human _._

There were low hissing noises coming from the group on the couch but I couldn't tell what they were doing. Emmett seemed to have a very goofy grin on his face as he smiled at me.

Not the normal reaction to stuff like this ether. "Sure Emmett, not like there is anyone else around I can rough house with."

"No!" Edward spat at Emmett.

"No?" I said aloud. Hearing this Edward turned to me.

"You can't! You could get hurt. I.. I won't allow it." _He_ won't allow it. Who the hell does he think he is?

"Last I checked you're not the boss of me."

_Boy has an ego on him._

"Bella please, you can't put yourself in danger like that. You might have been able to hold off Rose but you can't put yourself in that position again." He wasn't getting the picture.

"Point in case, there was no Bella holding off Rose. There was Rose trying to hold off _me_. Besides, what else would you have me do? She broke into my home and because of her, my room is wrecked! Pretty sure she wasn't planning on talking."

"You wrecked your own room." Came a calm, quiet voice from the other side of Emmett.

"What was that blonde? You want a round two," I said standing. The blonde followed suit and before I knew it Edward was in front of me, likewise Emmett was in front of Rosalie, both males holding the two of us back. "because this time I'll move up from your neck and mess up that pretty face of yours."

I was starting to see red again and I didn't care. Emmett's eyes grew wide for a moment and a low growl came out of him as he stepped back, moving Rose with him. She was the one that was on my list not him, but if I have to go through him so be it.

_Looks like we might get to wrestle sooner rather than later._

Luckily for legally blonde, the front door opened just at that moment. Dad walked in followed by Doctor Cullen and another pale skinned woman though I wasn't paying too much attention. My focus was on the object of my irritation, or rather the object in front of the object of my irritation.

"What part of asses in seats don't you kids get?" Both Cullen parents gasped when they came in to find us all getting ready for another fight.

"Her eyes are yellow… and red?" said the female next to the doctor in the white coat. Edward chanced a glance back at me from his protectivestance in front of me and his eyes enlarged at the sight of me. A few strides and my father was pulling me to look at him, taking hold of my shoulders with enough force to get his point across. Ashamed, I looked down but my father quickly pulled my chin up and smiled.

"Aww my little girl is growing up." He said as he smiled down at me and I deflated. Then it hit me. What the woman beside the Doctor had said.

Growing up…. red eyes…. no wonder I was seeing red, I was _literally_ seeing red, and everything was so clear and precise.

"Oh." I spoke. Dad's grasp lessened enough and I sat down completely deflated as Dad started speaking.

"Here is the deal. The three of us have talked and we all feel that there has been a great misunderstanding between our families." Dad sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he continued to speak. "The three of us have spoken and we think that a nice sit down is in order, and sooner rather than later, so we will talk tomorrow." Charlie finished and Carlisle picked up from there.

"Were going to excuse all of you from school tomorrow, it's Friday so you get a three day weekend and have a sit down at our house," All I heard was that we were going to get to know the people that earlier tonight wanted to murder me. "as it is obvious there has been a great misunderstanding."

"Trying to kill someone in their sleep is never merely a _misunderstanding!_ That's a bit of an understatement of what has happened tonight." I grumbled from my seat.

"Enough Bella. We'll discuss everything tomorrow. For now, I'm exhausted and would like to watch my recorded baseball game... and a beer. So you kids go on with your parents, and Bella go get your pillow and a blanket you'll have to sleep on the couch."

_Wait what?_

_"_ Couch?" I said. Then it dawned on me how much Rose and I really destroyed.

"Where else are you going to sleep? Not my bed." Dang.

"Come on children," Esme called. "we should get home. Charlie, we're very sorry about all of this and will see you around lunch time tomorrow." She seemed to hesitate for a second then asked. "Is there anything you two might like for lunch?"

I couldn't help but smile at her effort to be friendly, it's like she just wore a sign that said, "I'm a mom". It was really nice to see someone being motherly and taking care of their kids.

_Rather than the kid taking care of the parents for a change._

"Oh I'm sure whatever you make will be fine, Esme."

Edward stopped as the Cullens were filing out his eyes were almost black, something they would find out about tomorrow no doubt. He looked like he was still having a breathing issue.

"I'm sorry about all this, Bella." Truthfully it wasn't his fault. The fault was Rosalie's for attacking me and it was mine for losing control and destroying my room.

"Yeah, I guess I owe you an apology for the incident at the hospital. I just overreacted and, well, I'm glad you're not human," Edward looked confused. "because if you were then we would both be in trouble. Well, I would be in trouble, and you would be one hand less." He gave me a lopsided grin that on anyone else it might have seemed really stupid, but on him it looked kind of cute.

I smiled back at him.

' _It looks cute on him... The hell did that come from?_

It was at that point that my father made his presence known to us with a cough. He fixed his stare on Edward once again.

_He was just throwing those around like candy on Halloween today._

"You," He said to Edward, pointing. "go home and you," he said pointing to me, "go to your couch." Edward nodded an affirmative and apologized to Charlie as he left and finally we were alone. We stood there till the lights were no longer shining on the front of the house and the car engine faded in the distance.

"So..." I asked even though I knew what he was going to say.

"I don't trust them, not after what happened tonight. I have no idea what they are and that worries me. Bells, we're outnumbered here so if when we're meeting tomorrow things go south, don't you dare hold back just because the red head that needs a hair comb fluttered his eyes at you." To say I was stunned was an understatement.

"Dad, really? You think me and that pretty boy had something going on?" dang it there was something there and he was pretty hot.

_What's happening to me? I'm turning into one of those girls._

"You got your inability to lie from your mother. Get your stuff and go to sleep, we'll talk about this in the morning." He said, turning and making his way to the kitchen.

"Wait? You were serious about the couch?"

"Yep." This was his only reply as he rounded the corner. I heard the refrigerator door open.

Dang it, that couch sucks.

( ≧Д≦)

Doctor Cullen had called early in the morning to let us know what the address was to their home. I knew right when he called because the phone was on the table beside the couch; only a foot or so from my head. I involuntarily reached over to silence the ringing menace however I was still groggy so I grabbed the phone a little to hard crushing it. It was a grade A' start to the day...

"So what's the plan?" I asked over my bowl of Coco Puffs.

Charlie took another sip from his mug, cradling it in his hands like the Holy Grail and the coffee within was the water of life.

"Hmmf," was his only reply. Charlie, I had learned at an early age, was and is not a morning person.

"Dad, plan. Do we have one?" He just looked at me over the steaming mug.

"Yes, the plan is just what I said. We're going to talk and that's all. I had planned on watching the game with Billy and Jake this afternoon but I need to call and tell him it's not happening. Then I'm going to call your Grandma Swan." That made me raise an eyebrow.

By no means did Dad hate Grandma Swan. He was her son and her only child and therein lay the issue. The woman doted on him like he was still ten years old.

"Why are you calling Grandma?" I asked as I delivered my bowl to the sink.

"So in the unlikely event they try and manage by some miracle to kill us, there is someone that knows who to hunt down." Another long slurp of coffee followed his reply.

"You're serious."

A nod.

_Yes, this day was going just swell._

( ﾟдﾟ)

The girl was back, it had been a week since she last came to the stone clearing.

Red Eyes tracked every minute movement as the girl made her way to the clearing. It was very calming, she thought, or maybe the wonderful scent was what kept her coming back. At one end were large boulders and around the outer parameter smaller stones, to a normal hiker they would look like the work of children playing but to the Red Eyes, she knew better. She knew they were a special place for the girl with the oval rimmed glasses. Each time she came, Red Eyes would watch her from afar.

" _My_ _Daana."_

The words were spoken so softly that it could have been only the breeze. In all her years of life, never had a mortal intrigued her.

_None of them have been her…_

Her mind seemed to answer.

Red Eyes watched, captivated, as the girl with the oval rimmed glasses began today's performance. Hands working in intricate patterns, words followed each movement and within seconds the ground began to burst with small flames. The ground hissed and it seemed to bubble with fire but the flame swayed under the girls control. Liquid fire from the earth, like the flame Prometheus gave to man, this was pure.

It fascinated Red Eyes to watch the beautiful, dark haired girl as she smiled at her own abilities when performing her art. To watch her grow in that art was something else. When Red Eyes was young, she heard of the Daana and there had many _practitioners_ that had, at one time, come to garner the favor of her family.

_All fakes and frauds compared to my Daana._

Red Eyes continued to watch in rapt attention as the performer commanded the small flame to take on a harder, solid glow so that it looked like a ball of sunlight was in her palm. Soon the sun in her palm became liquid again and she began to concentrate harder, her brow furrowing as the sun melted fully onto her wrist and arm. Though the liquid looked like molten metal, it did not seem to burn the girl and soon enough it cooled, leaving behind a silver bracer of maybe four inches on her right arm. A soft giggle sprang from her lips as she watched her _Daana_ delight in the thralls of her gift.

She wanted her.

Before it had been a need, before it was just the aroma that the girl exuded but once she saw her, it was different. She wanted the girl more than anything she had ever wanted in her life, and she would have her life one day.

The small sun was extinguished and the girl with the oval rimmed glasses cheered for herself ever so slightly. A proud smile graced the girl's face as she looked around the small clearing of stones and with her newly bracer-clad arm, she wiped the sweat from her brow. She sat down on one of the larger stones, rummaging through her bag and finally removed an apple which she swiftly bit into.

Red Eyes narrowed, it was now time. She dare not approach while she practiced her art, no it was far too dangerous. She was now setting down to eat, and enjoy a reprieve from the performance.

Red Eyes stepped off the limb of the tree and gravity took hold, she landed with a grace that no mortal could match toward the object of her hunger. With no more than a predatory grin and grace, Red Eyes made her way toward the unsuspecting girl with the oval rimmed glasses.

* * *

A/N

* **Daana** is a Urdu word, it means wise, learned, mage or magi in English.


	6. Chapter 6

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check her out. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 6 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Lunch For Two ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

( ≧Д≦)

On our way to the Cullen's, Dad and I had dropped off dad's police cruiser that he ' _hit a deer with_ ' at the station. Charlie had signed out the police search-and-rescue SUV until his car was fixed. From here we were off to the Cullen's and the drive was short, but then again, every drive in Forks was short.

Driving off the main road and down a long driveway, we saw the Cullen's home and both of us were thinking the same thing.

They didn't live in a home, homes were nice and cozy with just enough space for the people living there. This was a mansion, which had more than enough space for probably twenty people. Last head count I had put the Cullen's at seven.

Glass, almost an _entire side_ of the house was glass. I knew the Cullen's were good with money but this house made Dad's house look like a cave. When we came to a stop, Dad whistled.

"I knew they were well off but wow..." Dad just nodded. The place was defiantly more than we were expecting and even with a family of seven.

As we got out of the large SUV that was my dad's police issues Tahoe as the Charlie walked out onto the porch to meet us. Raising a hand, waved at us as we made our way into their mansion. Casual greetings were had as we entered into a large white living room.

_The outside was amazing but the inside, and whatever that smell was, added to the heavenly nature of this place._

Carlisle took the initiative and started the introductions.

"Welcome to our home," Carlisle said as Esme came to stand by him. "I think formal introductions are in order. As you know, my name is Carlisle and this is my wife, Esme." He gestured to the lovely women from last night. Her smile was just so inviting and her persona just exuded how genuine she was in her emotions. "She did all the planning and decoration of the house."

My dad got in his grove of being the polite local and reached out to shake hands with the matriarch of the family. There was only the smallest apprehension in the women before she took his hand and smiled.

"You have a lovely home Miss Cullen and if smell is anything to go by, I would say that interior decorating isn't your only talent."

"Thank you, but please, Esme is fine. There is no need to be strangers."

Carlisle picked back up on his introductions with the next two members of the Cullen clan, the dark haired, petite Alice, if memories served, and Jasper. The one that always looked in pain or maybe he was just pissed off, it's hard to tell. His eyes were taking in every little thing we were doing and it was kind creepy so I was a little surprised that the two of them approached me.

"It's so great to meet you, Bella. I just know we will be best friends, oh, and it's great to meet you to, Mr. Swan." Dad just politely waved her off much the same way as Esme did. "I'm so sorry about what happened last night and I guess it's partly my fault since I was so nervous. You and your dad are really hard to see correctly it's really strange." Carlisle's cough interrupted her, and she, like all the other Cullen's, gave us an award winning smile. "Sorry we'll save the explanation of what I mean till later."

After an awkward moment of silence, Jasper just nodded towards us and said, "Nice to meet you." I had never heard Jasper speak up til then and there was an obvious southern drawl in his voice.

"And finally we have our other children that I think you know. But in an effort to start over let me introduce them officially. My oldest son, Edward," Edward smiled at me, and for a moment I felt lighter, until I caught my dad in my peripheral vision eyeing me.

"It's nice to meet you Bella and Charlie formally," Edward said.

"Then we have Emmett…" Carlisle continued.

"Yo," Emmett answered with a salute.

"And Rosalie, whom I think has something she would like to say." I eyed Rosalie expectantly, then I noticed the turtle neck she was wearing and I grinned widely.

"I'm terribly sorry for what happened last night and I would…" I could tell that this was killing her to apologize. She fixed me with a look as she continued. "..like to help fix the damage I caused to your house."

Common courtesy dictates that I say, 'Thank you and we would be great to have your help.' But what really came out was no where near that.

"Yeah well don't try and murder me again or I'll pop your head off like Pez dispenser." I grinned.

My smugness didn't last long as I felt my father's very strong hand on my shoulder and an almost overwhelming feeling of foreboding. I was no doubt getting _the look_. Adding the physical interaction to the mix and I felt like I was six years old again. It didn't hurt but I felt really little and in his defence, I was being a jerk just because I could. Since last night, I could tell I was getting stronger and, to my own detriment, cockier.

"Dammit Bella, stop acting like a ten-year-old. We're here to mend fences," _Don't you mean houses? Hee hee_ "and _you_ smarting off to Rosalie at every possible chance is not helping. Now, stop being childish and apologize."

Chancing a glance around the room, I could see that even though it was directed at me, they were getting that small feeling that Dad was putting out too. Usually Charlie would never do this in public but then again we weren't in public and these _people_ weren't really people at all.

It seemed that since we were not hiding what we were any more from this odd family, meant we didn't have to keep up pretences of being normal. Hence, why Dad was laying it on thick right now and no doubt trying to make a point.

Abruptly the feeling of being scolded like a small child left me and both myself and my father looked around the room at all present. He realised very quickly how much he had been pouring it on. Charlie nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry about that, Bella kinda set me off and well… I guess that's something we can talk about today. Bella, you have something to say." Charlie's last words were not a question and truth be told I had no interest in being on the receiving end of _the look_ again if I didn't have to.I really could not wait till I could do that like Dad and Grandma.

_One day payback will be mine!_

"Well, sorry about that. I guess, sorry about the Pez comment." I knew what my dad said was true, I was being childish and looking at the gathered family, I really did want to give them a chance.

To her credit, Rosalie thanked me then apologized for the accident again. Normal conversation followed from there and it was nice just chatting even though deep down, we were all still a little on edge, but even that was slowly fading.

It was slowly turning into an almost normalday. I, for one, was starting to feel a little more at ease with the whole situation. There were not many people around that Dad and I could be around without making sure everything we touched didn't crumble. These days, it was like everyone and everything around us was made of eggshells.

So who knows, maybe this was a good opportunity.

A ringing noise broke up the conversation as Esme excused herself to go to the what I guessed was the kitchen. If her talent for cooking was as good as her tastes in home decoration, then we were all in for a very special treat, literally.

(/^▽^)/

Billy Black was not a happy man. Only moments ago he had received a call from his best friend, Charlie Swan, about canceling their usual baseball-game-Friday, not that it hadn't happened before. This time, however, was different because Charlie had ditched him _for someone else_.

"What did those leaches want from Charlie and Bella?" He mumbled to himself.

No good could come of those Cullen's, none. Something was most certainly wrong when the most anti-social family in town decided to invite the Chief of Police and his teenage daughter over for lunch; on a baseball-Friday no less!

Jacob wouldn't be home for a few hours but normally he would pass along any suspicious insight from around the reserve and town to Billy who, in turn, would pass the information along to Sam. But this wasn't just any news, this was something that had to be investigated now.

This couldn't wait.

Taking up the phone again, he quickly dialed a number and three rings later, a feminine voice greeted him.

"Hello?"

"Hello Emily, could I speak to Sam?"

∑(;°Д°)

So here we were, sitting around a large, long dining table as Esme brought out the food. Carlisle was at the head of the table and to his left was an open chair that I assumed was Esme's place. My father sat to Carlisle's right, and beside the empty chair right across from me sat Edward. With the exception of him, everyone seemed to be paired off: Emmett and Blondie, Alice and Jasper, Carlisle and Esme.

Esme had outdone herself deciding to cook a roast that was mouthwatering. I looked over the food to Edward and he just gave me that stupid grin that made my insides turn to jelly. Without even realizing it, I found that my lips had turned up in a smile that for the life of me I could not get rid of.

_What the hell? Go away dang it!_

I was blushing and that appeared to be like permission for Edward to keep dazzlingme with his smile that only grew wider with my coloring cheeks. As Esme returned, this time with two plates, I finally snapped out of my reveling at the sight of Edward Cullen. Now, looking around, it occurred to me that my dad and I were the only ones with plates. Not surprising since they never seemed to really eat anything at lunch so why would they do it here? Dad seemed to think being blunt was the way to go so he just said what was on his mind.

"So, I'm guessing that you all don't normally eat food… that or you're trying to fatten us up." He chuckled but looking around, no one else did. "Ok then." He said, cutting into his roast beef.

"So what have you noticed so far?" It was Edward that asked this. I reached out for my glass of water and took a gulp. It was all seeming too surreal, we knew what we were but meeting other beings that were so far removed from what passed as thenormseemed to be throwing us all off.

"Well, you don't seem to eat food, and not even at school, you just seem to push it around on the plate. You're fast, like, _really_ _fast_. You don't have any pours at all, that's a little freaky, and you all seem to have this glow about you." I said and eyes were darting all around to each member of the family at that last revelation.

I took the opportunity to take a bite of my roast beef.

_Oh my gosh. This is amazing…_

"You apparently have an inhuman ability to cook and that has to count for something." My dad said, taking another large bite. "Esme, this is absolutely fantastic." The woman's smile seemed to light up the room as my dad praised her.

"Thank you, Charlie."

"Adding in my two cents, I can't help but notice that you all share the same eye color. For a family that isn't related, to all have such an unusual eye color is a little bit of a giveaway. Then there is the blonde kid here, Jasper right?," a nod came from Jasper. "Well, he looks like he has bite marks all over him. Humans wouldn't be able to see them though. " My dad spoke up before again helping himself to more roast beef. As eyes grew wide around the table. "That's the only thing I can think of to add to what Bella already said."

Carlisle seemed to think for a moment about everything we had said and as did everyone else at the table while I followed my father and cut more of the roast for myself. After digesting all of our observations the room was almost silent, the exception was my father and I still eating. After digesting what we had said, Carlisle seemed to feel that being blunt was the way to go and I have to say I was a little surprised.

"We're vampires."

That statement hung in the air for a good two minutes, mostly due to my father and I chewing and giving sidelong glances at each other. Let me say this: we were shocked. Though at the same time, we had already known there was something otherworldly about the Cullen's. I swallowed, still coming terms with the new information that we had been given.

"I wasn't too far off, well in a away I wasn't. I was going to guess zombies." My dad's guess wasn't really that bad and a round of chuckles came from everyone at the table.

"I know there will be a lot of questions but we can save those till after you've finished eating. We don't want to ruin your appetite by talking about ours." Carlisle chimed in.

"I have one question now that's really important." I said, and I noticed that Edward's eyebrows had raised in curiosity. "Can you turn into bats?" That would be so cool, being able to fly and all. No one else had a chance to speak as a bellowing laugh escaped Emmett.

"That was the first thing I asked too when they told me I was vampire. See Jasper, I told you I wasn't the only one who would want to know that." Emmett said, the last part coming out pretty smug as he eyed Jasper, who in turn just rolled his eyes.

"Coffins?" I asked.

"Myth." Edward said.

"Guessing stakes are too, if I couldn't crack Rosalie open like a walnut then a pointy stick sure as hell even make a dent in you guys." There were nods of agreement all around.

"Sunlight?"

"Also a myth. However, we don't go in public on sunny days. We'll show you some time, I think that might also be why you mentioned the glow." Edward said licking his lips as if they were parched. "But you still haven't asked the most important question."

I looked at my dad, seeing if he had come up with the question then looked back to Edward and shrugged, not understanding. Then he spoke very slowly, his golden eyes boring into my own.

"What do we eat?" Again my father and I were caught off guard; we looked at each other then around the table. They all seemed to be waiting for us to have an epiphany but really, the issue here was that it was common knowledge, unless it was a myth too. Asking what Vampires eat, drink, was like asking, who was Luke Skywalker's father.

"Blood? I mean it is, right? Human blood? That's like the fundamental vampire thing, and if you say celery is your main source of food then being a vampire is kind of weak." I said. Emmett bursted again with his laugh, and there were a few more laughs around the table from Jasper, Alice, Esme, and Carlisle. Edward, for his part, just couldn't seem to understand us.

"Yes, a lot of vampires do sustain themselves on human blood but we like to think of ourselves as vegetarians. So the celery comment was well placed to an extent. We prefer to feed on animals instead." My Dad looked at Carlisle as he spoke and seemed to be in deep thought. "That's why our eyes are the color they are, it is due to the animal blood. Those that feed on human blood have red eyes while animal drinkers have golden eyes."

The conversation continued on, despite us eating and listening to Carlisle as he took control of the conversation. He explained more about vampires, the gifts are what really intrigued us and Alice's gift of seeing the future was especially interesting my father. The fact that Edward could not read our minds was a relief, but then we found that Jasper could read and manipulate our emotions. Jasper said he felt something odd about our emotions though and there was some kind of emotion that he couldn't place. It just seemed to be ingrained in us.

I guess in a way Jasper was right, it was ingrained in us. It was part of us and it was something that we would have to live with for the rest of our lives and it was hard to keep it under control sometimes if the last twenty four hours were anything to go by.

Finally, the explanations on the Cullen's side were done and my father and I were full. Esme asked if we would like some pie which we both declined and then promised to have a piece later. It was then time to present our side of the big reveal. My father just grinned as me and I looked around the table at everyone to keep the suspense going on.

"Well, this is going to be one _hell_ of a tale."

* * *

 

**Author's Notes**

Please let me know your thoughts on the story and the direction that it is taking and also if you have a question about things coming up in the next chapter. I know it's a big moment that most of you have been waiting for, what the heck are Charlie and Bella.

I really hope there is an improvement in the quality this time around. I really tried to correct a lot of the errors and muched up sentences where my mind got ahead of my finders.

**Q & A**

If you all have any question please feel free to leave them in the comments and I'll answer them next chapter.

ginkgo00: Nope I had not thought about putting it under Supernatural but I have now, and it is.


	7. Lies Are Only Skin Deep

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check her out. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 7 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Lies Are Only Skin Deep ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

We all have secrets, and with a secret comes the fear that somehow, someway, someone will find out about that secret. I never wanted anyone to know our family secret but that was why we were here now, to lay the truth on the table.

So when it came to telling our story to others we were not the greatest. So for the past 10 minutes, Dad and I were now sitting quietly in the Cullen's living room thinking about how to present ourselves and not come off as something to be hated.

There are a lot of theories about all kinds of supernatural creatures and some of them may be true. For us however, most of those theories are false. For the two of us anyway" Someone needed to say something to get the ball rolling.

"Soooo…. are you going to explain anything or just keep us in suspense forever? Which we have but, well, you don't." Rosalie asked snidely. I was getting use to her condescending attitude. She did bring up a good point about us not speaking so I looked at Dad.

"Age is as good a place to start as any I suppose." Dad said, leaning back in his chair and facing the assembled family. "Well, as a matter of fact their young lady we do have forever. Though we may not look it right now, I stopped ageing some time ago."

"He's older than dirt." I laughed.

He pointed a finger as me. "Your grandmother is older than dirt… don't ever tell her I said that though. I'm a little over 1200 years old."

"Only a _little_ over? As I recall, you were born around 733 so yeah, I think you're closer to 1,270 years old." I grinned at him and he gave me a scowl. We broke our staring match when we heard a huff of annoyance.

_Huh, wonder who that could be._

"This is bull shit!" Surprise, it was Rosalie.

"Rosalie, language." Esme chastised in her very motherly way.

"I'm sorry Mom but it is, look at him," She said pointing to my father. "he's what 5'5?"

Looking Dad over, I would have given him the benefit of the doubt and said that he was in his early 40's. But it was starting to look more and more like Dad was not amused about all the talk of his age. I guess he was a like an old lady in that regard since it bugged him so much.

"It's the porn-stache Dad, adds a good ten extra years." I laughed and Emmett burst out laughing too.

"Porn-stache, that's great Bell's. That one is going on the list for later."

There were small chuckles around the room at my comment but I could tell that he was getting ticked off.

"Okay, enough about my age and my mustache," Dad said as he protectively stroked his mustache. "We're getting off track."

"As you noticed last night, Bella's eyes can change color." I released my hold on, what we call, my _band_ in its first stage and I could feel my eyes changing, the whites turning an unnatural red and the pupils slitting and becoming a bright yellow. In the moment it took for my eyes to change the world became more alive, sharper, and clear. Colors became more vivid, before they seemed drab and flat, but then the world became alive through my eyes. I could see everything in such clarity that even high definition movies paled in comparison.

My senses were no longer restricted and I felt- free.

When I looked around at the assembly of Cullens, surprise was written across their faces but it was slowly giving way to intrigue.

"We call it our _band_ , what you're seeing now is the first stage, _cernentia_ , it means sight and it is different for every family line. It lets others of our kind know if we have a virtue or vice." Dad said and it was obvious he was feeling about as uncomfortable as I was but I picked up where he left off.

"Our family has a vice, fortunately or unfortunately, depends on how you look at it." I shrugged.

"You mean like the seven deadly sins?" Jasper asked. The both of us nodded in answer. "So what's your vice?" Jasper asked.

"Wrath." Dad answered. "You might have noticed how Bella had tunnel vision when she was going after Rosalie. She didn't stop until I hit her in the face with the Verbascum. She was hell bent on getting to Rosalie and so she probably just completely ignored Emmett and Edward. Unless they got in her way that is." He said, looking at Edward and Emmett.

"Verbascum, that was the stuff in that pouch you gave me last night when you thought Bella might still be- _upset_ when she woke up. I still have the pouch by the way." Edward said as he fished the small leather pouch from his pocket and pitched it across the room to my father. I sneered at the damn thing, I hated that stuff, it stank and it gave me a headache. I returned to looking around the room and fixed Edward with a gaze, he quickly looked down after our eyes me for a brief moment.

_Is he afraid of me?_

I was starting to feel dejected but then he smiled at me with his a crooked smile. He looked even hotter now that I let loose of my _band_ and could truly see him.

_His hair looks really cute; I just want to run my hands through it._

It's obvious that my infatuation with Edward Cullen is getting out of hand.

"It's also called 'Bunny's Ear' and sometimes 'Hag Taper'. It can be brewed in a tea and it's said to be good for respiratory problems. It was a heavy hitter back in the day and it was very powerful at driving away demons. Sadly, the older we get the less effective it is. It worked like a charm when we were younger and we used it to knock out our kids when they were throwing a tantrum. Knocked Bella out a few times when she was growing up, but last night was the first time in several years _._ " He chuckled.

"Yeah and I feel absolutely wrecked once the effect wears off." I grumbled.

"Is that really safe to do to a child?"Asked Esme. Dad just waved her off.

"When a child does something wrong you have to punish them right? Well, you have to remember we're not human and sometimes a simple timeout, or a spanking isn't enough. For example; have you ever heard the old saying that the kid could tear up and steel ball?" There were a few nods from around the room. "In our house, that was a literal saying. As she got older, she very well could tear up a steel ball." I smiled as all eyes returned to me. I shrugged.

"Now as you said earlier, I don't really come off as a guy in his prime. It's more of a see it to believe it." Dad's eyes quickly began to mirror my own, his red and yellow iris slitted but for him, the changes didn't stop with just the eyes. An intricate pattern of swirling stop sign red lines started to grow out from around his neck. Some went up to his face making angry-looking slashes coming out from under his chin up on his cheeks, while others snaked down past the collar of his shirt. It was like watching a very intricate, red, tribal tattoo being painted on his skin. Though the marks were not the only thing about him to change, gone was the lightly peppered hair that he wore with dignity and the wrinkles on his face had smoothed out as the red lines crossed them. Finally, vibrant red marks slowed and sitting where my father had been was what most would assume was a tattooed, well built, black haired man in his mid-twenties. Complete with an eerie, unnaturally silted, yellow iris on red sclera for eyes and a porn-star mustache.

The look on all the vampires' faces were priceless, they ranged from shocked to horror. Gears were turning now and it wouldn't be long before someone put it together, maybe someone already had. I decided to continue the explanation and let my dad be my example.

"The red marks are what we call the _Seele Brand_ , or Soul Brand, for those not up on your Germanic tough. What you're looking at now is the real us; humans can't handle it as it just goes beyond their understanding on a primal level. Grandmother always said that humans were blinded by perception, they see what they want to see."

Carlisle stepped up to examine the marks and glanced at me.

"Why does Bella not have any of these…. _Seele Brands_? Are they gender specific?" Dad shook his head.

"Bella is still young. Once our _cernentia_ of our _band_ appears it's only a matter of time, maybe a few days to a week now. She'll be under the weather for a few days as the brand burns thru to the surface. It's not pleasant but the burning only hurts for a while and it only hurts the first time. The chicken pox lasts longer." There was a slight shudder from many of the vampires in the room, no doubt recalling the burn they went thru to get to their new life. To me the burn was something that I was looking forward to to just getting over with, to me it was just a part of growing up.

But to the vampires in the room, their burning was the death of their human life. I really had a big plus seeing as I always knew I wasn't human so the loss of my supposed humanity was not really a fear.

Carlisle nodded, taking in this new information.

"May I?" Carlisle said gesturing to Charlie's arm, Dad just shrugged and rolled back his sleeve before letting Carlisle's colder hand physically examine the marks. "They're really warm, too hot compared to a normal human's skin. The skin feels raised slightly, like it's scared.

"Of course it's hot, it's my soul." Carlisle's cooler hand stopped stroking and examining the marks and looked at Charlie then, ever so slowly, he blinked. "Our soul is marked by our _band_ and made manifest for all to see when we're not holding it in. You have to remember that our _band_ is wrath, so our soul reciprocates our _band_." Dad gave Carlisle a sly grin. "Others of our kind with a _band of_ lust might have smoother softer colors and almost elegant marks. Someone with say, greed might have a more green or darker color and the marks might be very controlled, orderly. It's different for everyone, as well it also depends on the family."

"It's very freeing to not hide what we are. In a way, you know our kind better than you can any human. We don't hide who we are because we're afraid of others seeing it. Not really, it's because humans just can't handle it. Humans will always be afraid of the darkness, and rightfully so as there are monsters out there and I've seen them. But some of the worst monsters are humans. There is nothing more inhumane than Humanity's inhumanity to man," Dad's fist tightened and he chuckled darkly. "And humans have the gall to call us monsters!" I reached over to my father and took his hand in my own.

"Dad, calm down." These were old hatreds he was focusing on and that was never good, it made us want to fall to our _band_ and I'm sure that Esme would like us to leave her beautiful house in one piece. He mulled my three words over and composed himself with a deep breath and leaned back into his chair.

"Sorry, my mother and I were on the wrong end of a hunt once upon a time." No one spoke after my father's revelation and even to this day it was obviously a sore subject for him. Dad didn't hate all humans, he picked and chose who he liked and disliked on their individual merit and that was a trait he had passed on to me, I was happy to say.

" _Judge everyone of their own merit, Bella. Not one person is exactly the same as the last."_ That was one of the better life quotes he had ever imparted on me. Most of the others involved grilling or why we shouldn't pop my fellow a student's head like a grape for stealing our crayons.

Carlisle looked like a man in deep though he hadn't moved at all for a few minutes as all the information simmered, it was a little unnerving, him looking so much like a statue.

Edward was matching Carlisle as he thought over everything that we had revealed. He fixed me with a gaze and I smiled but he was obviously not in a smiling mood. This situation was starting to look grim and totally not like the outcome I was hoping for but then again, what had I been hoping for? I was thinking they would be more accepting but all around, I was getting the distinct impression that there was a lot of judging going on. The room seemed ever so slightly colder.

"So what are you? We've heard a lot, but it seems like you're skating around something very important." asked Jasper. He was right, we had been putting off the inevitable. Maybe we just wanted to let them see us for us before saying the words that would always bring about the final jurisdiction.

The hardest war to ever win is a war of ideologies; if both parties are truly committed to their ideals then it's an unwinnable war. Even more so if that ideal is a belief firmly rooted and with the right nurturing over time it can be as impenetrable as a brick wall. Even in the face of overwhelming proof of the contrary, just by being born we were in the middle of one.

It's a hell of a thing to be condemned in someone's eye even before you are conceived. I took a deep breath to prepare myself; it was time to lay our final card on the table.

"We call ourselves Lilim. The story of how we came to be varies greatly depending on the version you have heard before." I refused to look up as I spoke and each word was spoken just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. I could already feel their eyes scrutinizing us; I could almost hear the gears in their heads turning and gaining speed. "You see like humans, we're the offspring of Adam, but it wasn't Eve's womb in which we came from, it wasn't her that nurtured us and guarded us till we could face the world on our own. We were born from the womb of Adam's first wife," I gulped, "Lilith."

I looked up hoping to find the grinning face of Edward looking back at me, I could really use a smile right now. But what I found was no smile; there was apprehension, disbelief, and maybe even fear. His gaze tore into me and it burned. He was already assuming the worst, to him I was some demon sent from hell to collect souls of the damned or even some corrupter of the innocent. He couldn't see us for _who_ we were, it was automatically _what_ we were.

I never had many friends growing up; the whole losing control and killing them trait was hard to pass off as an accident. After lunch and hearing about the Cullens and them being vampires, I thought we might really have a common ground. I really thought this might be a chance to have some friends that I wouldn't have to leave or watch die. I didn't want to be like grandma and even dad to a lesser extent having passing friendships and one night stands. I didn't want the longing for something that I would one day have to leave behind.

_Maybe that was just our lot in life, maybe we are cursed._ _Even among the Nephilim, the children of Lilith stand apart._

Edward and I continued our staring contest and the room was silent as everyone was still reeling from the apex of our revelations this evening. I wasn't budging and neither was he, or so I thought. In a split second our staredown ended as Edward turned and left left the room. I had won but it felt more like I had lost. I hesitated, not knowing what to do, and I realized that he was the only one with an opinion that I cared about. Everyone else in the room could think I was Dinesen of hell, but Edward, I wanted him to see me for _me_ and not some notion that was impressed upon him by a bunch of superstitious old idiots.

_Damn it all, he will judge me for_ me _, not some misguided interpretation!_

Before I knew it, I was moving. I was up, across the room, and out the door, following Edwards path. I deserved to know if he hated me. I thought he hated me before but now he had a _reason_ to hate me, and if he was going to hate me, he was going to hate me for a good reason.

┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)

"Where the heck are they going?" Charlie asked to no one in particular. All heads and eyes followed Bella as she stood up and stormed after Edward without a word. No one was really paying attention or noticed when Edward had gone, but everyone had noticed the irritated face of Bella as she left.

"I'm not sure but I wouldn't worry too much. Edward is a little old fashioned so there is nothing to be worried about." Spoke Esme as she directed a pleasant smile at Charlie.

Charlie, for his part, just scratched at the back of his head, giving the family a lopsided smile.

"I'm not too worried about Bella's innocence. She knows better and can take care of herself." Charlie said waving off any worry he had about his daughter's innocence. "Well, I'm sure you all have questions so who wants to go first?" Before the statement was even finished Emmett's hand was in the air like he had the answer to the meaning of life.

His question however was not as intelligent.

"So what's the sex like?" A rock-on-rock crack echoed throughout the room. "Ouch! Rosy babe, it's a legit question. Just like vampires we have to separate fact from fiction here." Emmett grinned like the Cheshire cat.

Charlie slapped his knee as he laughed.

"Straight to the big one." He said, attempting to banish the grin that had spread across his face. "Well, this goes back to what I looked like earlier, or rather what you all thought I looked like. Remember the 'blinded by perception' thing we talked about earlier?

"Well while we can't really compel anyone to jump into the sack with us, we can offer them all the sights, sounds, and smells of what they imagine their perfect other half to be. For instance..." Charlie stood with a sly smirk as he looked around the room, catching each person with a stare until he settled on Esme. He smiled slyly as he looked into her eyes and in an instant she gasped, her hand tightening on Carlisle's shoulder.

"Oh my…." Esme whispered, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

Then, like a mirage, into existence, there was another Carlisle standing in the room. He was still wearing the red flannel shirt and jeans of Charlie Swan, but for all intents and purposes he looked like Carlisle with one major exception. He did not look pale and nor did he share the perfect physical facial features of the vampire version. The flush of life was evident in his cheeks as they flushed a light red.

_Human_ Carlisle smiled as the change finished, the final touch a small, well-groomed goatee. When the change was finally complete, there was a collective gasp around the room.

"My God," Came Jasper's voice. "you even smell different."

"Not just smell _son_." Said _Human_ Carlisle, his voice lacked the bell like graces brought on by vampirism. For Esme's part she looked from the Carlisle that was right beside her to the _human_ one that was standing in front of her. _Human_ Carlisle stepped up reached forward offering Esme his hand which she reluctantly took, a breath escaped her lips, if it were possible she would have blushed.

_Human_ Carlisle leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her hand.

"Bonjour ma belle amie." _Human_ Carlisle spoke in French. The two turned to Vampire Carlisle when a cough drew their attention.

Good naturedly, Vampire Carlisle grinned at the two as his _human_ counterpart stepped back with a smile. "It's truly uncanny Charlie, if I had not seen the change, I would think you're a long lost twin."

"Well I added the goatee, I was going for the _evil_ twin look." This elicited a few chuckles from around the room.

"Your French accent is very good too. Carlisle's isn't quite as spot on as yours." Alice beamed as French was one of her favorite languages. In fact, Jasper had learned the language just because it was her favorite. "Did you live there for a while? Your accent is perfect."

"Born there, actually. Though it was called Gaul at the time and the nearest we can date is the late summer of 737 AD, after the Battle of Tours. My mother met my father there and had a one-night stand. She said he just looked so regal as he fought in the battle and, well, my mother had always liked a good fight. I was actually named after my father Charles, he was the leader of the armies of Gaul." He said, standing just a little straighter.

"Just a moment." Spoke a southern voice. "Charles? As in Charles Martel?"

"You're either a history buff or you were there and with that southern drawl, I'm guessing the later." Jasper returned an affirmative nod.

"History."

"Wait, who is Charles Martel?" Asked Esme.

Charlie took a moment to let the disguise that he was presenting to the Cullens fade away; his blonde hair faded back to dark brown and the red tattoos returned along with his trademark mustache.

"Charles Martel, or as history remembers him, Charles 'The Hammer' Martel, was a Frankish statesman and military leader. He was also the Prince of the Franks and the Facto Ruler of Francia. The man wore a lot of hats. The battle Charlie is referring to was one of the major victories that helped to drive the out the Arabian invasion of the time." Jasper chuckled to himself, fixing Charlie with a grinned. "Never met a prince before. Feel like I should bow or somethin'."

Charlie let out a bellowing laugh.

"I think we already said we were dropping titles and I'm not really the royal type. Though Bells is my little princess." He chuckled at his own bad yet sweet joke.

"So how old are you?" Emmett asked.

"A little over twelve-hundred."

"Wow, you're older than Carlisle and he is older than dirt."

"No, my mother is older than dirt." Charlie muttered then looked around nervously as he realized he had said that aloud. "Don't ask."

Jasper was usually the quiet one of the family but today was not the case now that he was intrigued. "The look you use on Bella, it's not normal, it was even a little intimidating on us. Was that another power of your kind?

"Noticed that, did you? It's more about strength, not just physical but mental as well. Our kind have something of a dominate nature, we're very possessive of what is _ours_. It's something of a universal quirk throughout species, kind of like an alpha in a pack of wolves." All the Cullen's visibly cringed at the analogy. 'Well that was interesting.' Charlie noted, you weren't police officer for years and not pick up hints like that.

"It works on humans too though I have to be sparse with it because it can really freak them out and mess with their minds." Charlie looked outside as the sun started to peek out from behind a cloud. He turned to face Emmett with sly grin. "You know it's too pretty of a day to sit inside. If I remember correctly, someone was itching for some arm wrestling and maybe even a bout. What do you say kid, still think you can beat me?"

It only took Emmett a second to match Charlie's own sly grin before he spoke.

"You are so on old man." Charlie bristled at the comment but held Emmett's determined stare.

"Now, now pride cometh before the fall—and you are going to fall hard."

(*´ω｀)o

_Where the hell did he go!_

When I stepped outside my _band_ was still free and the world was still as vivid as ever. I scanned the area and didn't see Edward, but I noticed that there were blades of grass that were beginning to reorient themselves from having been stepped on. I followed the lightly trampled path into the forest. The world started to slow down as I was sprinting in strong strides in the direction that nature was guiding me. Small golden lights flickered in and out of my vision as I passed bird in flight; other small, golden blurs were on the ground, no doubt squirrels and the like going about their daily lives.

As I moved, I had time to think. It irritated me that he thought I was a demon, maybe I was but I was _at least_ part human or maybe something else. I banished that thought for now, we would know once my brands burned in.

My sight was the most active since I had, we had better sense of smell, and hearing but not nearly as much as a vampire if their tale was at all accurate. Sight however was a completely different it was the most dominate and the most useful. To use the world almost reacted in a sort of slow motion, and it worked in harmony with our strength. If we could see it and it got close enough we could catch it. The Vampires had more of a graceful strength and speed; ours was all strength, and we couldn't stop on a dime like they could.

So as for grace, they had us beat though power, I'm pretty sure, we had the upper hand.

It wasn't long till the trees started to thin out ever so slightly, one long stride and I was in an open meadow. Even though it was late in the day, the sun rays were peeking out through the clouds and illuminated the clearing. Flowers of all kinds were all around; all of the different colors of wildflowers made the meadow look like it was a rainbow and in the center was Edward who was looking at the setting sun, making its slow descent down the sky.

I had seen him today and I had known that there was something about his skin that gave him a glow and now I could really see it. I was looking at him from the side and it was like looking at millions of tiny diamonds, each one sparkling. It was amazing, even from this distance and on instinct I took another stride, he was amazing to watch.

It was going to be even more fun to tease him about it. I started to giggle and some of my anger evaporated, but the realization hit me too late and my amusement faltered.

Remember what I said about not stopping on a dime? Well not stopping _at all_ is a problem too seeing as I had forgotten to do just that.

Edward must have been really deep in thought because he just enough time to turn his head to see a life size cannonball, me, coming right at him and his eyes widened. In an instant, there was a thunderclap with the unstoppable hitting the unmovable and we were tumbling head over heels. I ate dirt on one of the rotations and a wide trench was plowed in the ground with a few divots where one of us bounced then it was over.

I was lying face down on the ground. There was a rustling in front of me and I blinked to clear the dirt from my eyes and face. There in front of me was Edward, who was in the process of righting himself. When he turned, he gave me a dirty look; it was both physically dirty and metaphorically dirty. The irritation from him judging me so quickly was returning.

"Why the hell did you do that?" He shouted, he was really mad and truthfully, he had a right to be but that was beside the point; he needed to check himself. Righting myself and shaking the dirt out of my hair, I gave my own dirty look. He looked surprised as I sat up and he quickly looked away from me.

_Oh, so now you can't even make eye contact!_

"What's wrong with me, what's wrong with _you_? My dad and I bared our lives to you, in Dad's case literally, and you just walked out! At least give me the common courtesy of looking at me when I am talking to you. Do you think you're better than us because you think we're damned just for what we are? I really thought you would be different." He still wouldn't look at me. _What a smug self-righteous bastard!_

"Bella," he said, still looking away. "Maybe you should cover yourself. Your shirt got torn up really badly."

At his instruction I appraised myself and my anger vanished my shirt had taken some very severe damage from our tumble, so much so that I was now showing off my bare chest to practically a stranger.

"Ahhh!" I yelped, turning away from him and covering myself as much a possible and trying to save whatever dignity I had left. A bright red blush appeared on my cheeks as I struggled to keep my face neutral.

_This is the worst day of my life!_

"You still owe me an explanation." I said, still looking away from him and hoping to hide my embarrassment. He was silent for a moment then I heard some shuffling. I turned and looked over my shoulder just to be hit in the face with a light green fabric. After removing the fabric from my face I delivered an irritated look to Edward who was now only wearing a simple white undershirt.

He had given me his shirt and I held it to my chest for a moment just looking at it; then I swallowed my pride and removed my damaged top and bra, in favor of a decent covering.

"Thanks," I muttered, still attempting to hold on to my pride.

"What exactly do I owe you an explanation for?" He asked.

"First you hated me, then you seemed like you were warming up to me and now you just walked out during our coming-clean-with-each-other party. Does my existence offend you that much, or do you just think we're auto-damned from birth?" During my rant, I had turned to face Edward but he was still looking away and it infuriated me even more.

_Why does his opinion of me matter so much?_

"No." It was spoken so softly that I almost didn't catch it. He was still looking away from me so there was no way for me to even attempt to read him.

"No? No what Edward?" I asked sternly.

"No I don't think you're damned— or a monster." The last part was whispered as he finally turned to face me and it was like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "How could anyone like you be damned? I knew you were different, that there was more to you from the minute I saw you. Bella, when I first met you it was all I could do not to kill you right there in biology."

I blinked. That was surprising and I'm sure it was hard for him to admit. It's not every day that you find out that the guy you may or may not have feelings for literally wanted to kill you at one point. My imagination took hold of that idea instantly and ran with it. Edward attacking me in an attempt to kill me and drink my blood, then my fist meeting his face, the imaginary encounter made me chuckle.

"That would have been interesting. I mean, you trying to kill me only to get knocked through a wall— desks and students start flying like bowling pins in an alley." Since we knew to an extent what we were all capable of, it was funny. Our imagined first encounter even seemed to put a smile and chuckle on his lips. "Okay, I get that I must smell really good to you but why did you leave? I thought you hated us or something."

"Good is an understatement, you're like my own personal brand of heroin." That really put things in perspective. Was Edward just trying to lure me into a false sense of security to try and kill me? "But then little by little I began to find out more about you, I don't want to be the monster that I am. You're making me question everything that I have believed for a century."

Because of me, he was rethinking everything he had previously believed. I was speechless as it's not every guy that changes their outlook on the world because of you. We hadn't even really spoke but a few words and here he was, telling all his secrets to me.

"What about later when my brands manifest?" I said, fixing him with a hard gaze, my yellow and red eyes boring into his honey gold. "What about when you know the real me?" I turned my gaze to hands, imagining what they would look like soon enough. In an instant, Edward was kneeling in front of me, my eyes catching every movement in crystal clarity as he gently took my warm hands in his own larger, colder hands. I looked from our joined hands up to him and the warm smile from before had returned.

"Bella, in the beginning I wanted your blood more than anyone else I have ever met, but in the span of a day, everything has changed. When I realized what Rose was going to do, something inside of me clicked and I knew then that if it were in my power I would never let anything bad happen to you." He reached out and cupped my cheek. I leaned into his cool hand while his thumb brushed my cheek bone. "No matter what you are or what you look like Bella, it's a part of _you_ and that makes it beautiful."

I am not prone to being a girly girl; I usually hated girls that fawned over boys. I guess he could be trying to lull me into a false sense of security, but in that moment, I didn't care. His touch was electric and his eyes made me melt, I was completely and utterly one of those girls now and if felt great.

* * *

Please Review（*'∀'人）

If you have any question please leave them in a review or PM me if you want. Thanks for reading.

I hope you all enjoyed this story and the big reveal, I also hope that I didn't tick anyone off and that you stick around now that most of the truth is out. But there is the girl in the woods that is getting stalked by the red eyed vampire, not to mention the wolves. Probably not going to have the Volturi in this story, there isn't really a need, I don't think. I just don't see a need for them for the suspense.

I have the next chapter written and will be sending it to my Beta in the next day or so. I was also asked if I was using Mortal Instruments in this story while I have heard of it I have never read the MI series. All of the myths and _historical_ theology references are culminated together by my own mind. Since I do have references to Nephilim I decided to look into how they were portrayed in MI. Needless to say I am using the origin version of there being. IE Children of Angels and Demons with humans as one of there parents. Any way I have a few more notes before about some of the jargon and terms and background of things.

Again I hope you all enjoyed and we will see you again soon.

**Behind Text -**

This was kind of an inspiration for the idea of how they can change their appearance. 'Blinded by Perception.'

**/Typoglycemia:** is a neologism given to a purported recent discovery about the cognitive processes behind reading written text. The word appears to be a portmanteau of "typo", as in typographical error, and "hypoglycemia". It is an urban legend/Internet meme that appears to have an element of truth to it.

The legend, propagated by email and message boards, purportedly demonstrates that readers can understand the meaning of words in a sentence even when the interior letters of each word are scrambled. As long as all the necessary letters are present, and the first and last letters remain the same, readers appear to have little trouble reading the text.

**Messed:** "I cdnuol't blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg."

**Intended Message:** "I couldn't believe that I could actually understand what I was reading."

**/What Charlie said in French to Esme. (I don't like adding notes in the story till the end.)**

"Bonjour ma belle amie"

"Hello my beautiful friend/lady?"


	8. The Girl with the Oval Rimmed Glasses

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Myers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check her out. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 8 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ The Girl with the Oval Rimmed Glasses ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

Sam Uley was not a happy man, technically he wasn't a man at all and if truth be told, even when he was happy, he was still somewhat angry. All of this was due to what Sam was; his very nature was that of rage.

But rage was an animal he had to keep a tight rein on; he knew what happened if he didn't, that reminder was right in front of him as he walked in the room. He looked around to find Paul and Jared were sting in the living room watching TV while Emily was in the kitchen on the phone. She turned to him with a smile, but her happy face would forever be marred by a ragged scar that covered her right cheek.

"Hold on Billy, he's right here." She walked over to Sam, covering the speaker portion as she met him. "Its Billy, something about the Swans." Sam's jaw clenched as he took the offered phone.

"What's wrong Billy?"

"Its Charlie and Bella, they were _invited_ over to the Cullen's today. Charlie said he and Bella were going over there for lunch under the pretense of a _family_ get together that the good doctor and his wife invited them." Sam sighed. He didn't like the Cullens; it was literally ingrained into his head not to like leeches. Although even Billy's insistence that they should be dealt with couldn't make him budge.

Sam didn't really hate the Cullens as people, but he had a very great dislike of their kind as a whole. Because that's just what everyone was taught from birth so it had to be true. They would never be friends, but their numbers were greater than that of the pack's. Right now they had the edge so he would have to let it go. Unless the Cullens forced his hand of course, then he would have to act.

"Alright Billy, I have Paul check out the Swans and we'll go from there."

"There is more going on here Sam…."

"Until we have proof," Sam cut in. "My hands are tied, you know that. Now I'll do what I can and let you know what we find out. I'll have Paul check the Swan's house." Paul lost the battle for the remote on hearing his name mentioned as he cried foul at having to work on his off day.

"Alright, thanks Sam. Keep me posted."

"Goodbye, Billy." Sam said, ending the conversation. He didn't bother to wait for Billy's own farewell in favor of just ending the conversation there.

"Sam! I had plans today!" Cried Paul and he stood visibly irritated.

Sam mentally groaned.

"That's fine, you can check out the Swan's place first and see if there is anything wrong. _Then_ you can get back to your plans." Sam said, giving Paul a look that left no room for discussion.

"Fine then I'm going now, if that's fine with you." Paul never wanted this life, none of them wanted it but Paul just loathed the fact that it was _his_ life. He had taken it as a personal affront that _his_ life was put it on hold because of his supposed obligation to the tribe. They all knew had it not been for the Alpha's command then Paul would have already left. Sam had feared that Paul's anger would make things worse if he left, so he had done the unthinkable. He ordered Paul to stay, hoping that once he had gained more control, he could resend the command and Paul would simply opt to stay.

Sam knew that had about as much a chance as an ice cube's chance of surviving hell.

"Go, but report back before you run off." Sam barked but Paul was already out the door as Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. No sooner had the calming breath left his lips then the door opened again.

Jake looked very irritated as he stormed in, his jaw was set, but he was obviously irritated.

"Hello Jake, is there a reason you're not in school?" Sam asked as calmly as he could. At first glance one might think that Sam and Jake were the same age, but that wasn't the case regardless of how well built Jake was now. Jake just looked off in the distance and he started to shake.

"Jacob, you need to calm down. If you can't keep yourself under control go outside." Jacob seemed to calm down enough so Sam spoke again. "What's wrong?" There was a fine line between caring and commanding that Sam had to walk, and when it came to someone shifting here in the house in the same room as Emily, there was no question on which side of that line he would be standing.

"You don't have to worry about me being at school for a while. I got expelled." He said, never meeting Sam's eyes.

"What did you do?" His voice left no room for side stepping on Jake's part. Sam needed to know if he had shifted or, God forbid, killed someone because then they were _all_ in trouble.

"Destruction of school property, the boy's bathroom is going to need a lot of work." This was for the best. Sam had been against Billy demanding to let Jacob continue on in school, at least for now. Maybe once he had better control, but it was just a blessing that he hadn't killed anyone yet.

Sam stepped up and placed a hand on Jake's shoulder, the contact helping to dispel the irritation in the young wolf.

"Let it go Jake, once you have a better hold on the wolf you can go back." Jake pulled away, shrugging off the offered hand and flopped down on the couch and just stared off dejectedly across the room. Sam again sighed, being a leader was never easy and there was always something that was going to be a thorn in his side.

"Paul is heading over to Chief Swan's place to see if he can find anything out of the ordinary. Jared you're off patrol today, Jake and I will take it. He needs a stress reliever." Jake was all of a suddenly sobered up from his brooding.

"What's wrong with Charlie and Bella?" Jake said, immediately on alert at the mention of a family friend and his daughter.

"Nothing major. Billy thinks the Cullens are up to something because Doctor Leech invited them over for a family get together today." Jared said, completely oblivious to the magnitude of his words. Sam was on Jacob in an instant and managed to throw the young wolf out the door just as he exploded knocking Sam back into the house to look up at Jared.

Sam narrowed his eyes as he turned to look at Jared who was now sporting a nervous smile.

"Oops," He said.

"Get out of my house Jared. Go home do whatever it is you do on your day off, but don't do it here." Jared was up and out the door in a second. Sam just closed his eyes and again pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "It never ends."

(ノдヽ)

The Cullens and Charlie had been out in the back yard for the last five minutes testing each other's strength. Five minutes of that time consisted of Charlie poking fun at Emmett for sparkling in the sunlight. This only seemed to fuel the good natured rivalry that they were building.

After the laughing and the verbal jabs subsided Emmett had insisted that he and Charlie have a arm wrestling match, Esme had immanently shot down Emmett's demand for a wrestling match, saying that she would not have her yard destroyed.

So the group was now just at the tree line of the property at a very large semi-flat rock.

"Okay here are the rules…" spoke Emmett.

"If it is anything like we lock hands and when someone says go we try and force our opponents hand to the table, or rock in this case, then I know how to play. Hasn't changed much since I was a kid." Charlie said with a grin.

"Well I just wanted to make sure, it was a long time ago when you were a kid after all." Emmett grinned slyly.

The two stepped up to the rock eyeing each other as they locked hands.

"Ready to get your butt kicked Old Man?" Emmett said.

From the two opponents left a giggle came from Alice as she seemed to daze out for a moment. Emmett looked at her about to ask what was so funny but she just shook her head as if to answer Emmett's unspoken question.

"I've heard a lot of talk kid, let's see if you can back it up with some action." Charlie chided back.

Esme stepped up to the two and held her hands on both Charlie and Emmett's joined ones.

"I'll count down to one then say go; the moment that my hands are free, the two of you can begin." She looked to each of the opponents, each nodding in turn.

"Three…"

Emmet locked eyes with Charlie as a cocky grin slowly spread across his face.

"Two…"

Charlie widened his stance ever so slightly and rolled his shoulders, an obvious intimidation tactic. Adding to that effect his eyes seem to almost burn with excitement.

"One…"

Both opponents felt the other tense in anticipation. Both were so intent on staring down the other that for split second neither of the two moved when Esme swiftly budged to move her hand.

"GO!"

(ლ ۞ิ ჴ ۞ิ)ლ

A cool breeze was in the air and the girl with the oval rimmed glasses sat on the large, cool rock at the edge of the clearing. She took another drink from her water bottle before diving into her pack looking for a sandwich. To her dismay it had managed to get to the bottom of her belongings and was now crumpled. She sighed, looking at the mangled sandwich and relented, peeling back the plastic bag like a banana and taking a bite.

She rummaged a bit more in her bag with her free hand and removed a small wooden box; it was well worn, and had a small brass latch keeping its contents secured inside. Setting the box down beside her, she smiled to herself as her hand brushed over the smooth wood grain, thinking back to when her grandmother had given it to her and told her she was ready.

Flipping the brass clasp and opening the box, she peered down at the three, red, oval gems inside, there were no cut or seams on them like you would find in normal gems used in jewelry. They look like they had formed perfectly oval and smooth but she knew better. She could feel the echo of the magik that was used to forge these gems. She knew it well; it was the magik of her grandmother, Lina. The petite, short woman on her mother's side was amazing. Though she would never dream of calling her short to her face as she was very touchy on that subject, and even more so on the size of her chest. Angela chuckled to herself at a memory of her grandma getting mad at Angela's mother for a short comment.

She took one last bit finishing off her sandwich and shoving the empty bag back into her pack. As she took another drink from her bottle she froze, through the clear plastic she could see there was a bright yellow and red blur. Slowly she lowered the bottle she was stunned. Standing at the edge of the clearing was a beautiful mocha skinned female, her vibrant yellow and red outfit stood out in stark contrast to the rest of the forest around them.

The outfit resembled a sari if her recollection of the discovery channel was anything to go on. It was beautiful and helped to accentuate her hourglass figure, but as striking as the garment was, the face of it's owner was even more so.

Her light mocha skin seemed to almost glow and it was picturesque, almost other worldly. Her face was like that of fashion model's. She mentally thought about her outfit, a simple pair of jeans and long sleeved shirt, and felt a little self conscious which caused a blush to bloom on her cheeks.

A smile crept onto the perfect face across from her and her pearl white teeth stood in sharp contrast to her delicate looking skin. Equally as striking were her eyes, a brilliant crimson red and it was like looking into the eyes of predator.

She shivered and briefly closed her eyes.

There was a _whoosh_ sound followed swiftly by a breeze, then she was there, less than three feet from her was this other worldly creature that she could not seem to look away from. Time had slowed down and she had not been the one to cause it, not that she was anywhere near that powerful.

"Hello, my _Daana._ " Spoke the red eyed female in a sensual tone, it sounded almost like a purr to her ears. The words hung in the air until she realized that she had been greeted.

"Umm, hi. I mean hello." Her mind finally coming out of the distraction that was the female's looks. "Who… who are you?"

"Please forgive our informality; _We_ are Payusha Chera-Ay, first crowned princess of the Chera Ay Dynasty," spoke the red eyed girl then she bowed. Only then did the realization of the intricate work of her outfit come to life, a shapely leg briefly made an appearance as she bowed. Then there was the jewelry she was wearing, some of it gems were as big as a quarter. It had to be costume. "And may _We_ have the momentous pleasure of knowing your name as well?" Her sentences were not normal, it was like she was speaking like she was from a different, older century, and she was using the royal _We_ a lot. This made her look around the clearing but no one else was there. They were completely alone.

"Angela. You can call me Angela." A great smile spread across Payusha's face.

"Truly your name was aptly chosen, for you are every bit the angel that your name implies you are." This was getting awkward. In an instant she was smiling and sitting beside Angela. Payusha was sitting to her left and snaking her arm through Angela's arm. There was a kind of electricity to her touch but even still Angela tried to pull away. The whole situation was getting out of control. How had she moved so fast, and what was with the red eyes?

"What is a _Daana_ ," She looked down at her left hand as Payusha's colder one joined their palms together. There was something about that touch that caused Angela to become light headed, her heart sped up and she found herself smiling even as she fought to get out her rational questions. "What are you even doing out here? We're miles from anyone or anywhere."

_Where no one can hear you scream_ ,the rational side of her mind said, but that thought met a brick wall as Angela felt the cool and soft application of Payusha's cheek meeting her own. It moved in slow circular motions, and then came the purring.

"You are a _Daana_ , a practitioner of a divine art. _We_ have heard of your kind and even during our reign, many came before my father's court that claimed to be, but they were not you, they were frauds. Never did _We_ chance think _We_ should be gifted with the sight of a true _Daana_." Angela felt a cool hand turn her to look right into Payusha's eyes. Her ruby red eyes had something predatory about them, but something in them made her never want to look away and she felt as if she were floating. "Much less that she would be our other half."

The words slowly repeated over and over in her head. _Her other half._

Something was really wrong here. Angela was going along with this too easily and just touching Payusha was like floating on air, and then it started to really sink in. She was faster than a human, red eyes, strength, and inhumanly beauty.

She wasn't human and the fluttering in Angela's stomach was gone and replaced with lead. Here she was in the middle of nowhere with something that was not human and she was still purring as she nuzzled her face?

"If I'm a _Daana_ as you call it, then what are you?" Angela asked, slowly speaking each word. Payusha furrowed her brow. To Angela it seemed such an unnatural act for someone so perfect, but it didn't last long and she smiled.

"You are so perceptive my _Daana_ , but I should have known that _We_ could not hide anything from you. Nor would _We_ try. _We_ would deny you nothing be it within our power. _We_ are what is known as a Velata." It was Angela's turn to furrow her brow in confusion. Payusha, seeing this, elaborated.

"What is it you call it in your tongue?" She thought for a moment then the crafty smile returned. "Ah yes, in your tongue the closest translation would be _vampire."_

(´∇ﾉ｀*)ノ

Paul would never admit it aloud, since he was not really crazy about being a wolf, but the power and the speed almost compensated for turning him into a monster. It at least made it more bearable. Still, having to give everything up just to protect his tribe was a bit much. It wasn't like he had a choice, after all it was expected of him. He and his brothers would have to give up their aspirations because they had been chosen to protect the tribe.

A growl escaped him as he ran through the forest. It wasn't fair, it was his life. He had his own dreams but instead of focusing on what could be, he was pigeonholed into what the tribe and council and Sam said he had to do.

All because he was a _protector_ ,all because of those damn leeches!

Another irritated growl came out of Paul. This train of thought would have continued on but just then he caught an unfamiliar scent.

' _Leech! It sure as hell isn't a Cullen.'_ There was silence for a moment till he heard the other voices, they were quieter but still he heard his brothers. Both Sam and Jake must have been on the far end of the rez.

_'Where are you now?'_ Came Sam's voice, always the slight edge of a command in everything he said.

_'Maybe a mile or two from the Swan's house, a little off Pike's Trail.'_ This was not a common place that the wolves patrolled as it was the long way around the leech's lands and they didn't have the creek separating them so he had to tread carefully.

_'It couldn't be far, it's scent is too fresh.'_ He growled across the shared link.

' _Stay where you are, Jake and I are on our way.'_ He could just barely hear Sam, and he was straining himself mentally to do so. He shrugged it off, and he didn't need back up, what he needed was to quench the burning rage in his stomach. What he needed was to sink his teeth into a leech and tear its head off and that was just what Paul was going to do.

(‡▼益▼)

In the span of an hour Angela had done three unbelievable things. First she had started the tiring process of forging one of her three Simulacrums. A time honored tradition for a Magi and one that many have never been able to perform or they over taxed their mana reserves, tapped their own life force, mana, and burned themselves out. The second was that she found a majestically beautiful girl that claimed she was Angela's other half, a claim that Angela wanted to dispute but found it hard to. And third, she found out that vampires existed and with a little proof, Payusha had proved it to her.

Looking to her left Angela could see a smiling Payusha just outside the circle, the mocha skinned girl watching intently as Angela centered herself with a deep breath as she started the final part of her binding ritual. In a moment, she would be fusing the red ruby and the elegant bracer on her right arm together and in turn making it just as much a part of her as her own skin. Her mana reserves were much better than the average Magi, her grandmother had told her, but still to even consider being able to perform on her level, she would have to forge a Simulacrum to be able to contain such raw power and convert raw Aether to mana.

With a Simulacrum, she could skip the middle man of drawing small amounts from mana allowed from the world at large, and simply process the Aether to mana herself. As a living breath entity, Earth was abundant with raw mana, but now she would not have to rely solely on her mother celestial body for everything, _if_ she didn't kill herself that is.

Clearing her mind, she focused and her sight augmented by the help of her magik and she could see the ambient Aether and mana all around, had she wanted to, but she was focused solely on the gem and the bracer. To her, it was like looking at the sun—it hurt. It burned her eyes and had she been able to focus on the two different tasks, she would have felt the sweat beading on her brow.

She grunted in frustration but never let her sight waver, it was like forcing two magnets together that had opposing forces. The more she magikly pushed the more the pushed back.

The red gem was pulling in ambient Aether while the silver bracer was trying to draw from the gem. It was a paradox, the bracer wanting more but the gem would not give up the precious commodity of mana that it was constantly fabricating. What Angela was doing was creating her own power source that would draw on the world around her ever so slightly, and in turn would allow her to stockpile mana within the gem. This was not natural by any means, this was the laws of the world being bent to her will.

The silver band began to heat as the gem drew ever closer and more of Angela's own mana was required to move the two objects together. It was burning her arm now, but whether it was really burning or just a figment of her imagination she didn't know. The burning in her eyes was worse and the sun had increased in it's intensity.

"More, I need more." She said to herself. At least, she thought she said to herself.

The pressure was beyond anything she had ever felt, it was like a rope that was pulled so tight that it might snap at any moment.

"More… so close," She was growing weaker. Her eyes began to blink away the perspiration falling into her eyes. "more…" She was so close, she had to be. There was nothing in the focus of her mind, no feeling at all. Was she even still trying or had she pushed too hard? Was she dead? It was really bright here.

Then it was over. Angela stood in the clearing, her hand over her bracer, and slowly she pulled her hand away, and there in the center of the rise of the metal was the red, perfectly smooth ruby.

Her eyes fluttered around the world and looked at everything she could. The sun was far removed from its previous position and she could tell that some time must have passed, maybe a few hours. Turning to her right, Payusha stared on, worry evident on her face, something that Angela felt a little bad about.

Closing her eyes and focusing, she could feel the flow of mana and the Aether around her gently being draw in and delivered to her by the bracer, The ambient, magikal effect on the bracer was alive now that it had the fuel from the gem that is needed to function.

"It worked," she whispered as she opened her eyes and was met with sparkling red eyes of Payusha and her award winning smile.

Angela didn't even take a step when exhaustion hit her, but she was instantly cradled in Payusha's arms, gently being lowered to the ground. She felt weak since she had fueled the magik with her own mana and this was the price. It would come back in time after she had something to eat and a good night's rest.

" _We_ were so worried for you, my _Daana._ But _We_ did as you bid us and refrained from interfering even after you screamed in fury." A cool cheek was soon against Angela's own and she decided that it felt really good. She couldn't walk now as she was far too tired.

But as the saying goes there is no rest for the weary and both girls turned in time to see a large snarling wolf bounding at them. It was the size of a horse and when it was swiftly upon them, it lunged. The world was in slow motion as Payusha turned to face the oncoming beast.

Angela's hand shot towards the wolf, drawing on what little mana she still had in reserve. Payusha was fast and back handing the large wolf several feet away.

Her next move however would prove to be her undoing, she turned to pick up Angela but the wolf recovered far sooner than Payusha expected and would be on them in only a few strides. He was fast but not faster than Angela in this case. In what took the beast time to stand and again lunge at Payusha's now defenseless back, Angela shouted and the mana she had left rushed forward to enact her will upon the unsuspecting wolf.

_"Tsaeb won peels"_ She shouted and all at once her her hand twisted and the large wolf was knocked out cold. She didn't have time to marvel or even see the wolf hit the ground as she was lifted into Payusha's arms and was several meters away from the now sleeping wolf.

Payusha looked befuddled for a moment then realized what the words Angela spoke must have done. She nestled the now sleeping girl in her arms and smiled down at her.

"You saved me." Payusha gently smiled as she lay a soft kiss on Angela's forehead, the result was a soft moan from the new, sleeping Magi. "Sleep now my _Daana_ , I shall watch over you as you rest."

* * *

**/Notes from the Author/**

o/

So thanks for all the reviews my lovely readers. I hope everyone is enjoying the story, in other news guess who is going to Final Fantasy XIV FanFest in October…. ME! Myself and a friend are going, well I hope they will be going, I might being by myself but still I'm going! Going to be go great and exciting.

:3

Sorry… Anyway… I had a few question and I'll try and answer any of them her as well PM you guys as you ask them.

**Answering the Reviewers**

LadyIce5: Bella is only 17, just like she was in the original. (I think thats right for her age.) So Bella will age till she is about 24 or so. Charlie did not have any other children till Bella, let's just get this out of the way.

HopeStreet: Glad you didn't wait and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Nickaroos: Yeah I really wanted them to worry about what they were. Well Edward more than Bella, Edward has a religious belief that he is damned from the moment the venom his your system. Which I have always found laughable but each to their own I guess. It wasn't till Renesmee that he stopped whining about that. Made a good… make a plot device.

Thanks again for the relationship comment Nickaroos. I really wanted Charlie and Bella to have a better relationship than in the book/movies. The way I imagine there relationship is like something from an 80's movie. 'There is a big fight they both tag team punch someone they for flying off in the distance and the two of them turn around facing the group and just look at each other and fist bump.'

**P.S.** Kinda surprised that no one has asked are they (Charlie, Bella, Lilim Nephilim etc) just indestructible. Thats a no, There are various family bloodlines(Lilim), Choirs (Angels, Angelic-Nephilim) and Bands(Demons, Demonic-Nephilim).

I'll be honest I was really worried about last chapter turning many people away from the story due to the imagined subject matter or people being offended or that I was using something that was a Taboo. I don't know. I think my version and explanation of this is a bit more simplistic.

I don't intend to delve too deep into history of the races this is Twilight in a world of my own making to a small extent. I'm using it to try and develop my own ideas to one day put them in a story. I have a few short stories out there and submitted for contests etc so we'll see how it's all received.

None of this would be possible though without my editor **EstrellaGrace** and others helping me out. I may have based the ideas but without them helping me make it all legible, it's just a waste of what might have been.


	9. Falling For You

Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyers, please support the official release.

Written by Nashmeira S. W.

Edited by EstrellaGrace

Be sure to check her out. :3

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Chapter 9 ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Falling For You ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)

The last hour that Edward and I had spent together was like nothing I had ever felt in my life. If felt right, there was no other way to say it. It was just right. When Edward had left abruptly I didn't understand it, I thought that he was under the impression as humans did when they saw us for what we were that we were a demon. That he like so many others had bought into the ribaldry of the humans and that hurt. I had jumped to a conclusion that he wanted nothing else to do with me and that was why he left.

That was far from the truth. By Edwards reasoning, there was no way that I could be damned, he had confessed to me that for so long that he had felt vampires were damned, and hearing our story had shaken him. The fact that he was pouring out deep-seeded beliefs was cute and heartwarming that he trusted me so much so soon. It was just so easy to talk with Edward and to bask in his smile.

We just lay there on the grass of the meadow for what seemed like forever, but it only a two to three hours if the sun was anything to go by.

"Bella," said the angelic voice beside me. I turned to meet the face that it came from a warm grin. His warm butterscotch met my gleaming yellow on red. He didn't flinch, he didn't look away or avert his eyes.

He accepted me for me.

"It's getting late. We should probably head back." He looked off at the setting sun as his smile faltered slightly. "It's twilight, it will be dark soon." He was standing in an instance, his hand extended toward me. I know I blushed ever so slightly as I took his hand. It was cool to the touch but I wouldn't flinch away from him, not ever.

"It's fine, Edward," I said as he pulled me closer. "I'm not afraid of the dark. After all, you and I are what humans are afraid is hiding in the dark." I smiled up at him as I cupped his cheek his expression remained that same. "And they're right to be afraid."

(｀〇Д〇）

As we walked to the river, I was trying to get leaves out of my hair ever since moment we had together in the field. My hair was unruly so any attempt to get all the leaves out was a futile effort. Hand in hand, we walked through the woods; the dimming light giving way to the night and neither of us bothered by the fact that it was dark. The walk was giving me time to think about how with Edward, I was free to be me. This wasn't something that I had contemplated.

As unrealistic as it was, I loved Edward. We were only now realizing that it really was love, in the start it was hatred, then it turned into apprehension, then maybe fear. Then we moved past fear to curiosity, and finally after spilling our deepest secrets we knew that love was what we were working on now.

I never expected that. I never thought I would find love. Even now I still wasn't sure that I knew what love was but I think it was the feeling of being with Edward. Just holding his hand like we were without talking but instead giving each other knowing glances, made me feel alive and happy. If I could take drugs, then surely this is what it feels like to be high. I never wanted it to end.

Edward Cullen was my drug and I wanted to be high on him forever.

I couldn't help but smile at him and giggle a little at my mental definition of love being a narcotic.

"Something funny?" He asked.

"Just thinking how you're the best drug I have ever taken." I laughed at my own puny self; but Edward genuinely looked a little concerned. "I'm joking Edward. I meant it only as a joke, well almost."

"You're like a drug to me, Edward Cullen, and I don't think I can ever get enough of you," I said, pulling him to me and kissing him. "Now let's get back. I'm sure everyone is wondering where we are." I reluctantly pulled away, leaving Edward with a mischievous grin as I took off running.

_Maybe I'm faster than Edward?_

That train of thought lasted for less than a fraction of a second as Edward effortlessly came up beside me in a smooth and elegant stride. No matter what he did he was graceful. I was a little jealous.

I smirked pouring on more speed and Edward kept pace with me without even trying, it wasn't really a race to see who was faster, I was pretty sure it was Edward, it was just fun, but all good things must come to an end. The river was just ahead and then we would have to contain ourselves around everyone.

We both leapt over the river hand in hand, a smile plastered on both of our faces. After we landed on the other side our smiles lasted all of ten seconds. Out of nowhere, the porch was occupied by the Cullen family followed by Charlie, his band still out for all to see, a beer in his right hand and in an instant, the grin on his face fell.

Before we knew it my Dad was in front of us, but his sights were set on Edward. His eyes raking over the both of us and our joined hands.

"Care to explain what you two have been doing?" I was seven years old again, we were getting the look and I felt Edward's hand tighten around my own.

"I think it's pretty obvious what they have been doing. Little Eddy is going to have to turn in his V card." There was a round of chuckles from the others. If Esme could, I think she would have been blushing, or maybe shedding tears of joy.

As I studied how nice the upturned ground was around my father's feet, I started to realize how this must look. I'm wearing Edwards shirt and my hair looks like I have been rolling on the ground, which we had been doing. No way could our appearance could get any worse.

"Son." Charlie's entire attention turned to Edward. "I think you and I need to have a talk."

_Oh God, Dad is going to kill him._

ゞ◎Д◎ヾ

From the minute that Paul said the word _leech_ , the two were moving as fast as they could. As luck would have it, Embry had phased for some reason and Sam had taken the opportunity to pull him back from his day off. Which elicited a grand amount of complaining from him over the pack mind.

So it wasn't long till the two wolves arrived to find their pack mate down on the ground and sleeping…

" _Really?"_ Jake said as he nudged Paul a few more times. Paul only whimpered a little and continued to sleep.

The scent of leech was heavy in the air making both of the conscious wolves' fur bristle. Try as they may they could not wake Paul.

" _I smell the leech; it wasn't one of the Cullens that's for sure,"_ Sam said. It was evident from the mental picture that Paul had painted. It was slightly hazy due to the distance at the time but both wolves knew what to look for and the red eyes were a dead giveaway. That leech was a murderer and free game. There was no sign of the human girl, just her scent. The leech had no doubt taken her. _"This isn't looking good. As soon as Embry gets here, you and I are headed to the Swan house. Something just isn't sitting right with me."_ Jake became worried at Sam's unsettling tone.

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Just too much of a coincidence this red eyed leech showing up_ and _the Cullen's becoming social all of the sudden."_ Sam glowered at possible implications. Before, he expected that Paul would find nothing at the Swan's home and then they could get back to their usual routine, but now there was no chance of that.

(＃￣ω￣)

The two horse sized wolves arrived at the edge of the woods behind the Swan residence and held their position. Their keen eyes searched and nostrils flared while scenting for anything out of the ordinary. The ears of the two abnormally large wolves swiveled to pick up any sound that would alert them to the presence of anyone, but there was nothing.

The road the chief of police lived on was not a well traveled road, and while he did have neighbors, they were almost a mile away. This was not uncommon in a small town like Forks; the vast forest allowed every citizen to have a great deal of privacy around their homes, but privacy like that that was a double edged sword and left people vulnerable.

" _I don't see anything,"_ Jake mentally voiced. " _Nor do I hear anyone nearby, but there's defiantly been a leech here. It is really faint from the rain earlier, but it's leech no doubt."_

" _I smell it too. Come on,"_ Sam said over the pack mind as he cautiously stepped from the tree line. The scent of the blood suckers had both of their hackles up, and with the mental images that Jake kept sending over the mind link, Sam's day was getting worse by the minute. The two padded around the back of the house and when they turned the corner of the house, the two of them stopped in their tracks and Sam's day went from bad to terrible.

Both Sam and Jake stared at the upturned earth, the overturned tree and divots of uprooted earth.

" _What the hell happened here!"_ Jake growled.

This was not what Sam had expected, he had planned on placating Billy by sending Paul here, but he had been knocked out by that red eyed leech and she had taken one of the locals. Now it was looking like the Swans were also wrapped up in something less than savory and the stench of leech was all over both incidences.

" _It was the leeches!"_ Jake seethed.

" _It's not looking good,"_ Sam added. Some of the holes in the ground looked like they had been made by fists, others had marks that almost looked like the upper part of a torso and head had been forced into the soft earth. No doubt before the rain set in the snow would have covered up some of the marks but now they were clearly visible.

Sam followed what scent he could and which lead to the now uprooted tree that was going into the side of the house. Her scent still wafted out of the gaping hole where her window had been.

" _The window and the wall were broken from the inside,"_ Sam said flatly, and it was enough to interrupt Jakes mental tirade. _"Maybe one of the blood suckers went after her or got in a fight or something."_

" _It doesn't matter, they're DEAD, Sam!"_ Jake raged.

" _Calm down, Jake. The leeches have it coming, but you are right. Something is wrong."_ Sam's calm authoritative tone made Jake pause. The russet shapeshifter tilted his head to the side, trying to see Sam's train of thought before it made its way over the link. _"The Swans may still be alive."_

" _Are you seeing the same thing I am, Sam? This place looks like the hulk showed up and threw down,"_ Jake chided.

" _Jake, get your emotions in check and think. What do you smell?"_ Sam asked trying to turn what was quickly spiraling into the worst day of his life into a learning moment.

Jake sniffed the air and pulled out all the different scents, Sam sharing his idea. Rain being the most prominent followed swiftly by the smell of leech, then there was the smell of Bella still wafting down from the open hole in the side of the house, it was a little off but nothing out of the ordinary. Jake shrugged, at least, as best as a horse sized wolf could.

" _There is no blood, Jake. Why is there no blood?" said Sam._

" _Why is there no blood?"_ Confusion replaced Jake's anger.

Before the two wolves could continue their conversation, there was a new voice added to the link.

" _Sam, Paul's waking up,"_ Embry said over the pack mind.

" _Good, head back to the rez, we have a lot to talk about and we need to speak with Billy and the counsel."_ Sam's voice was taking on a more authoritative tone.

" _But what about Bella and Charlie?"_ The fire in Jacob's eyes reignited.

" _Not now, Jake."_ The command bleeding into Sam's voice left no room for argument. _"Come on, we're losing daylight."_

(」゜ロ゜)」

Seattle was a major city and by the dying light in the distance the city was beginning to light up to try and drive away the darkness. Fire had been the first tool man had used to drive away the darkness, and with the power they had over fire, their fears of what lurked in the darkness lessened. After all, _monsters_ were just myths, they weren't real. No, the world of today was ruled by science, and logic. So the _monsters_ were reduced to myth and discarded as such.

However, Payusha knew they were not myth and that the old tales were true, that there were things that lurked in the shadows in the darkness. After all, she was one of them, and the world had been changed so much since she was young.

She herself had changed.

Never would she have thought that she would see such marvels like buildings that reached for the sky, or that man would one day fly through the air. Those were once myths and stories once, but now they were real. It was just a part of life.

Payusha's red eyes watched as last rays of the sun dance off the stage of the horizon and with a reluctant sigh, she turned to the double doors on the far side of the room. She longed to be in there holding her angel, her other half, but she thought better and felt that it would be inappropriate for someone of her status. For the last few weeks Payusha had come to Seattle for holiday, though everyday was a holiday when you had nothing but time.

She had been here once before and found the city to her liking and so felt that it was a good time to return to it. It was only by luck that she had heard from a passing coven that there were vampires in the state. She felt that meeting this coven might provide amusement and a way to occupy her time. Payusha had never made it to the coven or seen another of her kind in the area since her run in with the nomads.

She found most other immortals detestable vermin that were beneath someone of her stature. She did not think lowly of _all_ beings, most high on that list was her _Danaa_ , but most vampires were nothing but scavengers and did not understand the finer things the world had to offer. Perhaps it was that they were still too young to understand. Admittedly, she herself had once fallen prey to her own instincts. But that was unbecoming of her, what would her mother think of her if she would have seen her in such disarray.

She looked to the two double doors, listening to the light move and even the rhythm of the heartbeat in the next room, and returned to her careful watch of the world outside the window. When time was not bearing down on you and you had an infinite supply of it, it was easy to let time pass by so effortlessly, so it was a few hours later that Payusha was pulled from her musings by what she heard beyond the doors.

In the next room, the flutter of a heart beat sped up, a smile spread across Payusha's face and her bright red eyes brightened. Soon she will emerge from the from the bedroom and the two could truly begin to talk. It was like finding something she had never known that she was missing. Having it was the greatest thing she had ever experienced in her long life and she never wanted the feeling to end.

The feeling of cold terror filled Payusha, pushing the warmth away as the heartbeat quickly sped up. After that came the mumbling. She was at the door in a moment, opening the double door to the room wide to find a frantic Angela climbing out of the bed.

"Oh no, no, NO!"

"What is wrong, my _Daana?"_ asked the vampire as she glided over to the side of the bed where Angela was going for her backpack. "What is troubling you so?"

"The time, it's past four o'clock," she said, pointing to the clock on the night stand. Angela grabbed her bag and began tearing her bag open and rummaging though it, eventually pulling out a cell phone. "I told my mom I would be home about two, three at the latest. It's…" A pregnant pause filled the room as the phone finished turning on. "Oh, crap on a cracker. I should have been home hours ago. Mom and Dad are going to kill me."

Angela was distressed and as the red eyed girl had had no experience with parents, she could offer no words of consolation that might help the situation. Payusha sat down beside her _Daana_ as she fumbled through her text messages and voicemail messages, her left arm wrapping around Angela as her _Daana's_ head hung in defeat.

"Where are we?" Angela asked hesitantly.

"Seattle, Washington." Angela sighed at the vampire's reply.

"It's going to take two hours to get back to Forks. It's already bad enough that I skipped out on school today. I mean, I didn't want to, but it was the perfect time and if I didn't do it today I would have had to wait a few more weeks. Gosh darn it," she said as she unconsciously leaned her head on Payusha, who didn't complain at the comfort.

She wished there was something that she could do to make things better for Angela, but there was nothing that could be done. Payusha did not want to hurt her Angela, but maybe some helpful suggestions, even if they were ones derived from television shows she had once watched, could help her _Daana_.

"Could you perhaps play it off with the aid of a friend?" She asked. In truth Payusha did not want Angela to leave as it almost frightened her to think of the girl not near to her. Angela looked deep into her ruby red eyes, her question written plainly across her face. " _We_ once saw on a television show that someone called a friend and had them say you were staying over at their home. Could this not work now? You did accidentally leave your phone off, maybe omit that you passed out in my bed," Payusha said with a sly grin.

Angela's eye grew wide as everything came together. The feeling of being near this red eyed girl— no, _vampire_ — made her relinquish her rational mind. But the day's events played out in her mind, she looked to her right hand and sure enough the silver bracer with the red ruby was still there, and it was just as red and as vibrant as Payusha's eyes, she realized.

"My _Daana?"_ Payusha questioned. Angela nodded in agreement. "It will work out, have faith." So with the assurance from the vampire, Angela dialed Bella's number.

There were a few rings and then the voice of Bella spoke up on the other end of the line.

"Hello!"

"Bella?" Angela said questioningly; she had never heard her friend sound so excited.

"Angela, oh hi, sorry I thought you were someone else, how's it going?" came the voice on the other end. Angela swallowed and took a slow, deep breath.

"It is alright my _Daana,_ all will be well," whispered Payusha in her smooth voice. Angela nodded at her encouragement.

"Bella, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important and I'll explain later, but if my mom contacts you, could you maybe just say I'm over at your house tonight?" There was silence on the other end of the phone, apprehension to do what was being asked as opposed to what was right.

"Angela, answer me this, are you okay?"

"I'm okay I'm not in trouble, not really. I'm really sorry to ask this Bella, really, but I'll explain things to you as best as I can when I see you. Please, Bella."

"Okay Angela, if she calls you're _staying over_ , but this better be good," Bella said as Angela looked to Payusha who was smiling.

"Thank you Bella, I'll... I'll talk to you Monday. I promise."

"Talk to you later, Angela." Then the call was over. Angela Weber had just coerced a friend to lie for her.

"I've never asked anyone to lie for me before," she said very monotone, as if fate was against her, her cell phone suddenly began playing a jingle and she looked to see 'Mother' displayed on the colorful screen. Payusha, for her part, could only smile lamely; secretly, she hoped that Angela would not be leaving so soon after they had first met.

"Well, today is just full of firsts. Now _you_ get to lie." She seemed to think about how to word this. "No, selectively edit the truth to your mother." Angela could only chuckle at that and pressed the button to accept the call.

"Hey, Mom."

(￣▽￣*)ゞ

The air around the room was tense; everyone was in deep thought after the reveal that Sam and the others had brought back. Old Quil was unusually quiet. He was almost always the first to call for blood on any incident. The murderous look on Billy's face was not much better... than Old Quil's usual response. Sam, for his part, was taking the day in stride. He was angry, but then again, the pack was always angry; he just kept it in check better than most.

"Is there any chance this could be a random occurrence?" Billy spoke up, breaking the silence. Sam eyed him and could see that there was hope in the chief's eyes, hope that there might be a chance his best friend was still alive and safe.

Sam wasn't going to lie to him; he didn't know the answer and there was no way he could speculate, but he could give Billy a slimmer of hope.

"We didn't catch the scent of any blood at Chief Swan's house. There was the smell of leech all over the yard and like I said, it looked like a battlefield. It was definitely the Cullen's, we know their stench by heart, but no blood, and that is a good sign that they're still alive—maybe." No blood ment there was hope.

With no blood found anywhere, the more likely solution was that they were turned, and if that was the case, then it was bad news for the tribe. They were already outnumbered and they were definitely not ready for battle against hundred year old vampires.

"Well, if the chief and his daughter are alive then all the better. If those monsters killed them, then the treaty is off and it will be your responsibility to put those leeches down once and for all." Old Quil finally chimed in.

His statement was followed swiftly by a dismissive snort from Paul. Whether he had meant to be heard was a moot point as all eyes landed on him.

"Something to add, Paul?" Sam asked. It was rhetorical, he didn't want an answer and Paul knew this. He just didn't care.

"Oh nothing, _we'll_ do what we have to alright. Whether we like it or not, isn't that right, Sam."

"Paul," Sam said in a chastising voice.

"What? Going to make me shut up? Do you know why we're here Sam? The genetic lottery put us in this mess, and what's more, some of us don't even want to be here." Paul had started off the day in a bad mood, but after the incident with the red eyed vampire and the girl, he had gone from irritated to plain pissed off.

"This isn't really the time…" Sam started, but Paul wasn't having it.

"Well I think this is the perfect time. ' _It will be your responsibility to put the leeches down,'_ really?" Paul wasn't in danger of phasing, not yet any way, but he had had enough and Old Quil's insinuation that _they_ would handle it had been the match to like the fire in him. "It's so easy for you to sit there and tell others they will go into the lion's den since it's not your life on the line."

"Paul, it is a great honor to be chosen as a spirit walker," chimed Billy with the usual tribe rhetoric about the great honor they all had.

"Do you know what else is a great honor? Going to college and getting out of this town. That is, until you turn into a damn wolf, oh and you're not allowed to leave because you have to protect the tribe. I want nothing to do this but as we know we don't have a choice in this do we, Sam." Paul's right hand was clenched so hard his knuckles were white. Sam stepped in front of him and the two squared off in a battle of will to see who would budge first.

It was Paul.

Paul turned and walked back over to sit down, his irritation made known for whatever good it would do. Though he would never state it openly, Sam felt the same. Thought his sense of duty to the tribe was greater than Paul's, he did feel that it was a little unfair to ask him to command his pack mates to stay. If their heart wasn't into their role they were just a liability, but for now he would just have to deal with it, the leeches had seven bodies to their four. Maybe ten if the red eyed leech was with them, not to mention the possibility that Charlie and his daughter were turned.

Four against ten were not good odds. So for now he would have to deal with Paul and Paul would have to deal with how unfair life was for the time being.

"I think we need to talk with cold ones," said Billy, the previous confutations and outbursts forgotten. "Your pack doesn't have the numbers otherwise… Well, I can give the good doctor a call and see what he has to say. Maybe he will slip up, but if the worse has happened, if Charlie and his daughter have been turned into demons we have to have a response." He shook his head trying to banish the ill feeling welling up in the pit of his stomach.

"We will Billy, but I still say we need to tread cautiously, I don't think we should tip our hand just yet." Sam was doing what he could to mitigate the meeting turning into a shouting and maybe phasing match. "Let's see if the leeches know anything about the red eye leech. Don't let on what we know about the chief and his daughter. Billy, I don't like the blood suckers, but they have held up their end of the treaty as far as we know. Other than them being more social with the chief and his family, we don't know that they've done anything wrong."

The older members could see Sam's view, it was better to have all the facts before the pack went storming off to war. Sam mentally sighed before continuing.

"For now, we will talk with the... doctor and see what he says, then we go from there. Paul, you can go home and clear your head for now, but make sure to stick close. We need everyone to have a clear head," Sam said, giving Paul a warning look.

"Billy and I will call up the good doc. Embry, I'm sorry but you're needed for patrols. Jake should still be at my house so head over there and give him the bad news. You see anything send out a howl. Go," he commanded, leaving no room for argument, and Embry didn't. He for one was onboard with the pack lifestyle and doing his part. Sure he had aspirations, but nothing as crazy as college like Paul had wanted to go at one time.

"Paul, you'll be on call so go cool off and be ready at a moment's notice."

"Whatever, I don't really have a choice anyway," Paul said as he left, his irritation still bleeding through. Once he left it was Billy that spoke up, returning to the conversation to pack business.

"Sam, I think you should watch Seth Clearwater. I hadn't see in him a little over a week, but when I saw him today..." Sam's breath hitched. "The boy has shot up a good two, maybe three inches in the last week or so. I think it would be best to keep an eye him because it's only a matter of time before he joins the pack."

Sam mentally cursed. New pack members was always hard because there were so many questions that you were not allowed to tell normal people like your family and friends, so the new wolves were uniformed once they phased for the first time. The Seth situation would made even worse when Leah would be thrown onto the list of people wondering about her brother's new habits and friends. At one time Sam had truly loved Leah, he knew that he had, but now he just couldn't imagine a world without Emily.

He shook his head; he would deal with Seth when the time came. For now he would just grit his teeth and bear it.

"Okay Billy, we'll keep an eye on him. Is Harry doing any better?" Harry had been having problems with his blood pressure and was not in attendance at the meeting.

"Still high but the doctors are prescribing him some new medications." Sam nodded.

"Alright Billy, let's go call Doctor Leech."

* * *

 

AN

So it's been a while. Sorry. Work picked up and I had to be out of town for a bit, then The Legion Expansion for Warcraft came out. Then there was the Final Fantasy XIV patch, then FFXIV FanFest in October1 X3

So much to do.

Oh and one other big note as to why I was not around…. I was about 48K words into the rest of the story when I started having a nagging feeling. At around 52K I started going back and reading it, something didn't site right so I read it again then again. That's when I realized that I had created a plot hole and it was so ingrained as part o the main story I wanted to shout. So I had to burn some 52K words of work and start over.

When I realized this for a week I didn't even consider looking at my story, that and work got really exciting so I had to be in DC for a few days X3

Well any way this is half of what I have re written. The one that I sent to EstrellaGrace to edit and chastise me for some of my poor writing habits was about 11K words. I decided to split the chapter in two gets me more bang for my buck. :3

**Author's Note:**

> Reference Material and Inspirational imagery. (SPOILERS)  
> pinterest.com/nashmeira/a-gentle-touch-reference-material


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